Unlike local creditor and debtor payments, international transactions related to imports and exports are significantly more complex. They are subject to additional procedural and regulatory challenges, making the process far from straightforward.   Most accounting systems are designed to handle transactions in local currency, which poses a problem for cross-border payments. In South Africa, these payments must comply with a set of South African Reserve Bank regulations, requi

Another week down, and what a week it was for the markets on many fronts.... ...with the Rand itself being among the players as it pushed below R17/$ for the first time  since February 2023! And here's the kicker -  we called it to a tee with our forecast last week. But that historic breakout wasn't the only story... Global markets had one of their most volatile weeks in months, with the Dow hitting record highs before crashing 797 points in a single day, Bitcoin capitulating

In today's globalized economy, importers, exporters, and investors are increasingly exposed to the whims of volatile currency markets. The biggest challenge facing these stakeholders is managing and mitigating the impact of such volatility. Without a proper foreign exchange management policy and risk management tools, companies struggle to control the potential adverse effects of currency movements on their business operations, cost competitiveness, profitability, and market

Welcome to this week's Rand Review - and apologies for the break in these coming, but we had a few things happening behind the scenes, which we will be sharing soon.. Well, here we are wrapping up another action-packed week that looked like it was going one way... ...before doing a complete U-turn and ending up right back where it started! The week began with South Africa's removal from the FATF grey list after 33 months - a designation that had hammered investor confidence a

In the exhilarating world of global trade, opportunity and risk walk hand in hand. Every importer, exporter, manufacturer, investor, or service provider operates in a space where one small disruption can derail the entire operation. South African businesses involved in cross-border markets often focus on price, exchange rates, and delivery timelines - yet overlook a critical pillar of sustainability: risk cover. When something goes wrong, the absence of proper insurance can b

The Foreign Exchange Market plays a pivotal role in South Africa’s political and economic landscape. Its numerous influencing factors and their complex effects on the economy make foreign exchange rates both fascinating and essential to understand. Contrary to what we might think, foreign exchange impacts everyone, from the government and Reserve Bank to multinational companies and private households.   Foreign exchange rates are crucial in determining the cost of investi