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USD/ZAR - Live Chart & Exchange Rate

1 USD = 16.4390 ZAR

Indicative rate, updated 22 hours ago. Not a live dealing rate - confirm with your broker before trading.

USD/ZAR Sentiment Gauge

A live technical-analysis reading for USD/ZAR, from Strong Sell to Strong Buy, updated automatically by TradingView. Forex has no reliable, freely-published Fear & Greed Index the way stocks or crypto do, so this momentum-based gauge is shown instead.

USD/ZAR tracks the US Dollar against the South African Rand, driven mainly by global risk appetite. As a fellow African currency, its moves are a useful comparison point for how the Tanzanian Shilling is performing against similar economies.

Rates shown here are indicative only, sourced periodically rather than streamed live. Confirm the exact rate with your bank or broker before converting funds or opening a trade.

USD/ZAR Key Statistics

Latest

16.4390

1 Oct 2026

Highest since Mar 2024

19.6736

9 Apr 2025

Lowest since Mar 2024

15.9010

11 Feb 2026

12-month average

16.5420

15.9010 – 17.5497

30 days: +3.15% 90 days: +0.07% 1 year: -4.79%

Over the past year USD/ZAR has fallen 4.79%, meaning the USD has weakened against the ZAR. In the last 30 days it has moved up 3.15%. Across the last 12 months it traded between 15.9010 and 17.5497. Its highest level in the data window (since March 2024) was 19.6736 on 9 Apr 2025, and its lowest was 15.9010 on 11 Feb 2026.

Based on weekly data from 6 Mar 2024 to 1 Oct 2026. Source: weekly rate snapshots (currency-api). A rising rate means the USD is strengthening against the ZAR. Past performance does not predict future results.

What Moves USD/ZAR

A pair's price is one currency's value measured against another, so the economy behind each side matters.

US Dollar (USD)

United States · Federal Reserve (Fed) · Free float

The US Dollar is the world's dominant reserve and trading currency. It sits on one side of roughly nine in ten forex trades, and most commodities, including gold and oil, are priced in it.

Major contributors to the economy

  • Services and finance
  • Technology
  • Advanced manufacturing
  • Energy (a leading oil and gas producer)
  • Healthcare and pharmaceuticals
  • Agriculture and defence exports

Key factors

  • Federal Reserve interest-rate policy. Rate decisions, projections and speeches by Fed officials set expectations for US interest rates, the single biggest driver of Dollar value.
  • US inflation and jobs data. CPI/PCE inflation and the monthly Non-Farm Payrolls report shift rate expectations and move the Dollar within minutes.
  • Treasury yields. Higher US bond yields relative to other countries attract capital and lift the Dollar.
  • Safe-haven demand. In global stress the Dollar usually rallies as investors seek safety and liquidity.
  • US fiscal and political developments. Government debt levels, budget standoffs, tariffs and trade policy affect confidence in US assets.

South African Rand (ZAR)

South Africa · South African Reserve Bank (SARB) · Free float

The South African Rand is Africa's most traded currency and a popular emerging-market proxy, sensitive to global risk appetite and precious metals prices.

Major contributors to the economy

  • Mining (gold, platinum, coal)
  • Financial services
  • Manufacturing and cars
  • Agriculture
  • Tourism

Key factors

  • Global risk appetite. The Rand is often sold when investors avoid risk.
  • Gold and platinum prices. Higher precious metals prices support the Rand.
  • SARB policy. Interest-rate decisions by the South African Reserve Bank.
  • Electricity supply and politics. Power cuts and political uncertainty weigh on growth and the Rand.

How USD and ZAR Interact

The US Dollar is a traditional safe haven. In periods of market stress, investors tend to move money into it, which often pushes it higher against the South African Rand even when local economic data is unchanged.

The South African Rand is an emerging-market currency. Compared with a major reserve currency, its market is thinner, so shifts in global risk appetite, Dollar liquidity and capital flows can move it faster and further than fundamentals alone would suggest.

Central-bank policy matters on both sides: the Federal Reserve (Fed) and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). When one of them is expected to keep interest rates higher than the other, that currency usually attracts capital and strengthens; a narrowing gap tends to reverse the move.

Markets to Watch

  • US 10-year Treasury yield USD

    Typically rises with the Dollar

  • Gold USD

    Usually moves inversely to the Dollar

  • S&P 500 / risk sentiment USD

    Risk-off episodes tend to boost the Dollar

  • Gold and platinum ZAR

    Usually move with the Rand

  • US Treasury yields ZAR

    Rising yields can pull money out of emerging markets

Events & Data to Follow

  • USD FOMC meetings (8 per year)
  • USD Non-Farm Payrolls (first Friday of the month)
  • USD CPI and PCE inflation
  • USD Fed chair speeches and meeting minutes
  • ZAR SARB rate decisions
  • ZAR South African CPI
  • ZAR Credit-rating reviews
  • ZAR Budget statements

Historical Milestones

  1. 2001 ZAR

    The Rand collapsed to record lows before rebounding strongly.

  2. 2008 USD

    The global financial crisis triggered a surge in safe-haven Dollar demand.

  3. 2014-15 USD

    The Fed signalled tighter policy while other central banks eased, driving a powerful Dollar rally.

  4. 2015 ZAR

    A sudden change of finance minister triggered a sharp Rand sell-off.

  5. 2020 USD

    In March 2020 a global "dash for Dollars" sent the currency sharply higher before the Fed flooded markets with liquidity.

  6. 2020 ZAR

    The Rand fell to record lows as the pandemic hit emerging markets.

  7. 2022 USD

    The fastest Fed hiking cycle in decades pushed the Dollar to a roughly 20-year high, including parity with the Euro.

Why USD/ZAR Matters to Tanzanian Traders

As a fellow African currency, USD/ZAR is a useful yardstick for how the Tanzanian Shilling is performing against regional economies. It also matters for cross-border trade across Southern and East Africa.

Compare brokers offering these pairs →

Risks & Trading Hours

  • Surprise policy shifts or data can cause abrupt moves. (USD)
  • Political events such as tariffs or debt-ceiling standoffs can shake the Dollar. (USD)
  • Sharp moves on global risk-off days. (ZAR)
  • Domestic political and power-supply shocks. (ZAR)

Most active: New York session (and the London-New York overlap) • Johannesburg and London session

USD/ZAR FAQ

What is the current USD/ZAR exchange rate?

1 USD is worth about 16.4390 ZAR (indicative, updated 22 hours ago). Always confirm the exact rate with your bank or broker before you convert or trade.

What is the all-time high and low of USD/ZAR?

In the data we track (since 6 Mar 2024), USD/ZAR peaked at 19.6736 on 9 Apr 2025 and bottomed at 15.9010 on 11 Feb 2026.

What moves the USD/ZAR exchange rate?

USD/ZAR is influenced by the relative strength of the US Dollar and the South African Rand. Key factors include: Federal Reserve interest-rate policy, US inflation and jobs data, Global risk appetite, Gold and platinum prices. See the sections above for the full list.

When is the best time to trade USD/ZAR?

Activity and liquidity are typically highest during: New York session (and the London-New York overlap) • Johannesburg and London session. Spreads are usually tighter when the relevant markets are open.

Is USD/ZAR good for beginners?

USD/ZAR can be more volatile or carry wider spreads than the major pairs, so it usually suits experienced traders better. If you are new, start with a demo account and a major pair such as EUR/USD.

This page is educational. Rates, statistics and commentary are indicative and may contain errors or be out of date.

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