About USD/ZAR
What moves it
- The US dollar side (Federal Reserve)
- Federal Reserve rate expectations, US inflation and jobs data, and global risk appetite — in stress the dollar is usually bought.
- The South African rand side (South African Reserve Bank)
- Global risk appetite, precious-metal prices, domestic power and fiscal news, and SARB policy.
When it is most active
Most active during the London and New York sessions. Volume usually peaks while London and New York are both open.
- London
- New York
See which sessions are open now, in your time zone
Pip value
Pip size and contract specifications for exotic pairs differ between brokers. Check your platform's contract specification before sizing a trade, and use the pip calculator with your broker's numbers.
Calculate pip value and position size
Trading notes
- In risk-off periods money tends to flow into the US dollar, so USD/ZAR often reacts to stock-market sell-offs.
- Exotic pairs usually have wider spreads, larger overnight swaps and sharper gaps around news than the majors. Size positions accordingly.
Educational information only — not a recommendation to trade USD/ZAR. Prices and technical summaries come from TradingView and can differ slightly from your broker’s feed.