US Dollar / South African Rand

USD/ZAR shows how many South African rand one US dollar is worth. The rand is managed by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). It is a heavily traded currency on the African continent and is also watched by international investors as one of the indicators of risk perception toward emerging markets.

South Africa is a significant producer of minerals such as gold, platinum group metals, coal and iron ore, so changes in commodity prices affect the rand. Problems with electricity supply, public finances, political developments and credit rating decisions can also be decisive for the rand's path.

In periods when global risk appetite weakens, the rand is known as one of the more volatile emerging-market currencies. The interest rate gap between the SARB and the Fed also matters. Lzzo.com shows a cross reference rate for USD/ZAR derived from market exchange rates; it is not a bank buy/sell rate.