ZAforexUSD to ZAR converter
Live USD/ZAR chart
The chart below streams the interbank USD/ZAR price, which moves every few seconds while the forex market is open (Sunday night to Friday night, South African time). The converter above uses the daily ECB reference rate, so the two can differ by a few cents during the day.
How much is 1, 5, 15 or 30 US dollars in rand?
Quick conversions at today's reference rate. The right-hand columns convert rand back to dollars, for example 100 rand to dollars.
USD/ZAR history
USD/ZAR, usdzar and "dollar rand": the same rate
Traders write the pair as USD/ZAR, USDZAR or USD ZAR. The first currency (USD) is the base and the second (ZAR) is the quote, so a price of 18.00 means one US dollar costs R18.00. When the number goes up, the rand is getting weaker; when it goes down the rand is strengthening. "Rand to dollar" (ZAR/USD) is simply the inverse: 1 ÷ USD/ZAR.
Why the rate you get at the bank is different
The rate on this page is the mid-market rate, halfway between the price banks buy and sell at. When you buy dollars for travel or send money abroad, the bank, bureau de change or card issuer adds a spread, often 1% to 3% for cash and card spending, plus SWIFT or service fees. To compare offers, convert the amount here first and see how many rand the provider actually charges.
What moves the dollar–rand exchange rate?
- US interest rates and the Federal Reserve. Higher US rates, or a hawkish FOMC statement, tend to strengthen the dollar against emerging-market currencies like the rand.
- SARB policy and SA inflation. The South African Reserve Bank raised the repo rate to 7.25% in September 2026 to fight a fuel-driven inflation shock. A wider gap between SA and US rates supports the rand through the "carry trade".
- Commodity prices. South Africa exports platinum-group metals, gold, coal and iron ore. Strong gold and PGM prices usually help the rand; a high oil price hurts it because SA imports fuel.
- Global risk appetite. The rand is one of the most traded emerging-market currencies, so it often weakens quickly when investors get nervous (watch the VIX on our markets page).
- Local news. Eskom and logistics problems, budget announcements, credit-rating decisions and politics can all move USD/ZAR sharply.
- US data releases such as NFP jobs and CPI inflation, which hit at 14:30 SAST (15:30 in the US winter).
Trading USD/ZAR
USD/ZAR is an "exotic" pair, so spreads are wider than on EUR/USD and moves can be fast. It is most liquid when London and New York overlap (about 14:00–18:00 SAST, see trading sessions). Before trading it, work out your position size with the lot size calculator: one pip (0.0001) on a standard lot of USD/ZAR is worth R10.
Frequently asked questions
What is the USD to ZAR rate today?
The live rate is shown at the top of this page and updates automatically from the European Central Bank reference rate and interbank chart. Banks will quote you slightly less favourable buy and sell rates.
How much is 1 US dollar in rand?
Multiply 1 by the current USD/ZAR rate shown above. Use the converter or the quick table on this page for any amount, for example 5, 15 or 30 USD to ZAR.
Is the rand getting stronger or weaker against the dollar?
If the USD/ZAR number is falling, the rand is strengthening. The history chart shows the change over 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 5 and 10 years.
What time does the dollar–rand rate change?
The interbank rate moves continuously from about 23:00 SAST on Sunday until about 23:00 SAST on Friday (an hour later during the US winter). The ECB reference rate used by the converter is set once a day around 16:00 CET.
Why is USD/ZAR so volatile?
The rand is a liquid, freely floating emerging-market currency used by global investors to express views on risk, commodities and interest rates, so it reacts strongly to global news as well as local events.
Where can I find a dollar to rand forecast?
See our USD/ZAR forecast guide, which explains the drivers and shows the rate's recent range. Nobody can predict exchange rates reliably.