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South African
RandZAR
The currency of South Africa is the South African rand (ZAR), divided into 100 cents and issued by the South African Reserve Bank. It replaced the South African pound in 1961: one rand costs ₹6.11 at our selling rate right now.
- Code
- ZAR
- Symbol
- R
- Subunit
- 100 cents
- In use since
- 1961
What is the currency of South Africa?
The currency of South Africa is the South African rand, code ZAR, written R before the amount. One rand is divided into 100 cents. The South African Reserve Bank issues the notes and coins. The rand replaced the South African pound on 14 February 1961, at two rand to the pound, and it is legal tender across the Common Monetary Area, which takes in Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia. On 5 Oct 2026, one rand was worth about ₹6.11 at our selling rate and ₹6.11 at our selling rate. Any price quoted in ZAR currency means this rand.
South African Rand at a glance
- Currency
- South African randShort for Witwatersrand, the gold ridge
- Code
- ZARThe ISO 4217 code for the rand
- Symbol
- RBefore the amount, with no space, as in R50
- Subunit
- 1 rand = 100 centsCents are written with a c, as in 20c
- Issuer
- South African Reserve BankFounded in 1921; its subsidiary prints the notes
- Introduced
- 1961Replaced the South African pound at 2 rand to 1 pound
- Exchange rate
- Today's rate in rupeesOur selling rate for one rand is on this page
- Used in
- South AfricaAlso legal tender in Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia
- Banknotes
- R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200The upgraded Mandela notes, on sale since 4 May 2023
- Coins
- 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5The fourth decimal coin series; the 1c, 2c and 5c are no longer minted
South Africa currency notes and coins
South African money comes as five banknotes and six coins in everyday use. The notes are the upgraded Mandela banknotes, announced on 3 May 2023 and on sale from 4 May 2023: Nelson Mandela is on the front of every note, and the back shows one of the Big Five animals, now drawn as a family. The coins are the fourth decimal coin series, also from 2023. Each note is shown with what it costs in rupees at our selling rate today.
- South African Reserve BankTen randR10
Ten rand R10
≈ ₹61.06 today- Colour
- Green
- Front
- Nelson Mandela
- Back
- A rhinoceros
- South African Reserve BankTwenty randR20
Twenty rand R20
≈ ₹122.12 today- Colour
- Brown
- Front
- Nelson Mandela
- Back
- An elephant
- South African Reserve BankFifty randR50
Fifty rand R50
≈ ₹305.31 today- Colour
- Red
- Front
- Nelson Mandela
- Back
- A lion
- South African Reserve BankOne hundred randR100
One hundred rand R100
≈ ₹610.61 today- Colour
- Blue
- Front
- Nelson Mandela
- Back
- A Cape buffalo
- South African Reserve BankTwo hundred randR200
Two hundred rand R200
≈ ₹1,221.22 today- Colour
- Orange
- Front
- Nelson Mandela
- Back
- A leopard
Coins, in cents
A Cape honey bee on the 10c, a bitter aloe on the 20c, a Knysna turaco on the 50c, a king protea on the R1, a springbok on the R2 and a southern right whale on the R5. Every coin carries the National Coat of Arms and the year.
- 1010 cents
≈ ₹0.61 - 2020 cents
≈ ₹1.22 - 5050 cents
≈ ₹3.05 - 11 rand
≈ ₹6.11 - 22 rand
≈ ₹12.21 - 55 rand
≈ ₹30.53
Sources: South African Reserve Bank, banknotes and coins; note colours from Wikipedia. Rupee values at our selling rate, 10:25 AM IST, 5 Oct 2026.
The name is short for "white waters ridge"
Two rand for each pound it replaced
A gold coin with the rand in its name
The currency named for a gold ridge
The rand is short for Witwatersrand, the "white waters ridge" of gold on which Johannesburg stands. It replaced the South African pound on 14 February 1961, and six years later the name went onto a gold coin, the Krugerrand.
A ridge of gold
The Witwatersrand, "white waters ridge", is the gold ridge on which Johannesburg stands. The rand takes its name from it.
The rand replaces the pound
The rand takes over from the South African pound at 2 rand to 1 pound, with 100 cents to the rand.
The Krugerrand
A 1 oz gold coin is launched with the rand in its name, six years after the currency itself.
Sources: Wikipedia, "South African rand"; Wikidata, Q181907; FXCM, "ZAR South African Rand"; Online Etymology Dictionary, "Krugerrand"; StoneX.
How the rand is run and shared
A new inflation target, a currency shared with three neighbours and a central bank over a century old: three facts behind the rand today.
A new 3 percent target
On 12 November 2025 the Treasury announced a new inflation target of 3 percent, with a tolerance band of 1 percentage point. It replaces the old range of 3 to 6 percent and is to be implemented over two years.
Shared with three neighbours
The rand is legal tender across the Common Monetary Area. Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia each also issue their own currency at par with it: the loti, the lilangeni and the Namibian dollar.
A central bank over a century old
The South African Reserve Bank was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in Pretoria. It marked its 100 years with a commemorative R5 coin in 2021.
One unit in rupees · our selling rate, 5 Oct 2026
The South African rand since 1961
South Africa has counted in rand since 1961. Here is what happened to its money along the way, in six entries.
- EntrySouth Africa
The Reserve Bank is founded
The South African Reserve Bank is founded, with its headquarters in Pretoria. It later issues the rand, and in 2021 it marks its first 100 years with a commemorative R5 coin.
- EntrySouth Africa
The rand arrives
On 14 February the rand replaces the South African pound at 2 rand to 1 pound. Its name is short for Witwatersrand, the gold ridge on which Johannesburg stands.
Launch - EntrySouth Africa
The Krugerrand
A 1 oz gold coin is launched with the rand in its name.
- EntrySouth Africa
The Mandela centenary
The Reserve Bank marks the Mandela centenary with commemorative banknotes and a commemorative R5 coin.
- EntrySouth Africa
Upgraded notes, new coins
On 3 May the Reserve Bank announces the upgraded Mandela banknotes and the fourth decimal coin series, and both go on sale on 4 May. Every note carries Mandela on the front and a Big Five animal on the back.
New notes - EntrySouth Africa
A new inflation target
On 12 November the Treasury announces a new inflation target of 3 percent, with a tolerance band of 1 percentage point. It replaces the 3 to 6 percent range and is to be implemented over two years.
Sources: South African Reserve Bank, banknotes and coins pages and the 2023 media release on the upgraded notes; National Treasury statement of 12 November 2025, as reproduced by allAfrica; Wikipedia, "South African rand" and "South African Reserve Bank"; Wikidata; FXCM; Online Etymology Dictionary, "Krugerrand".
Rand and rupees side by side
Worked out at our selling rate at 10:25 AM IST on 5 Oct 2026. For the live rate on any amount, use the ZAR to INR or INR to ZAR converter.
| You pay | You get |
|---|---|
| ₹5,000 | R 818.85 |
| ₹10,000 | R 1,637.71 |
| ₹25,000 | R 4,094.27 |
| ₹50,000 | R 8,188.53 |
| ₹1,00,000 | R 16,377.07 |
| ₹2,00,000 | R 32,754.13 |
| You buy | It costs |
|---|---|
| R 500 | ₹3,053.05 |
| R 1,000 | ₹6,106.10 |
| R 2,000 | ₹12,212.20 |
| R 5,000 | ₹30,530.50 |
| R 10,000 | ₹61,061.00 |
| R 20,000 | ₹1,22,122.00 |
Spending rand in South Africa
Three things about South African money that help on the first day.
Five notes and six coins
Everyday cash is five notes, R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200, and six coins from 10c to R5. The smallest note, the R10, is about ₹61.06, and the largest, the R200, about ₹1,221.22, at our selling rate.
R10 ₹61.06 · R200 ₹1,221.22Small change starts at 10c
The 1c, 2c and 5c coins are no longer minted, so the smallest coin in the current series is the 10c. The R1 coin is about ₹6.11 and the R5 about ₹30.53.
R1 ₹6.11 · R5 ₹30.53Each note looks different
The Reserve Bank says its notes differ by dominant colour, animal theme and size, and that they are printed on cotton. The animal on the back is the quickest guide: rhinoceros on the R10, elephant on the R20, lion on the R50, Cape buffalo on the R100 and leopard on the R200.
Big Five on the backTaking rand from India
The Reserve Bank of India's rules apply to every currency, and the rand is no exception.
Up to the equivalent of USD 3,000 per trip can leave India as rand notes. The rest goes on a forex card or as a bank transfer.
Every resident can send up to USD 250,000 abroad each financial year under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, travel included.
Tax collected at source applies once your foreign-exchange purchases in a financial year cross ₹10 lakh: nil when an education loan pays, 2% for self-funded education and medical treatment, and 20% for travel and everything else. It is credited against your income tax when you file.
The rand is on our booking form. Send your amount and the desk confirms your exact rate before anything is booked.
Book South African Rand→South African rand questions
The questions people type about the South African rand, answered in full, in three groups.
The basics
8 questionsWhat is the currency of South Africa?
The currency of South Africa is the South African rand, code ZAR, divided into 100 cents. The South African Reserve Bank issues the notes and coins, and the rand is also legal tender in Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia.
What is the full form of ZAR in currency?
ZAR stands for South African Rand, the ISO 4217 code for the currency of South Africa. That is the ZAR full form and the ZAR currency full form alike, and in a quote or a price list it always means the rand.
What is the South African rand symbol?
The South African rand symbol is R, written before the amount with no space, as in R50. It is also the South Africa currency symbol in the Reserve Bank's own wording: R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200 for the notes, and 20c for cents.
South Africa ki currency kya hai?
South Africa ki currency South African rand (ZAR) hai. Ek rand mein 100 cent hote hain, aur 5 Oct 2026 ko ek rand lagbhag ₹6.11 ka tha, hamare selling rate par. Rand ka symbol R hai, jo amount se pehle likhte hain.
What is the South Africa currency name?
The South Africa currency name is the South African rand, often shortened to the rand, and its code is ZAR. Searches such as South Africa rand, South African currency, South African money or ZAR currency all point to this same currency.
How many cents make one rand?
One rand is 100 cents. Cents are written with a c after the figure, as in 20c, and the smallest coin in the current series is the 10c, because the 1c, 2c and 5c coins are no longer minted.
Which countries use the rand?
South Africa, and its partners in the Common Monetary Area: Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia. The rand is legal tender across the area, and the three also issue their own currencies at par with it, the loti, the lilangeni and the Namibian dollar.
Why is the rand called the rand?
The name is short for Witwatersrand, which means "white waters ridge", the gold ridge on which Johannesburg stands. The rand replaced the South African pound on 14 February 1961 and took its name from that ridge.
Value and history
7 questionsWho issues the South African rand?
The South African Reserve Bank, founded in 1921 and headquartered in Pretoria, issues the notes and coins. The notes are printed by the South African Bank Note Company, a subsidiary of the Reserve Bank.
When did South Africa start using the rand?
The rand was introduced on 14 February 1961, replacing the South African pound at 2 rand to 1 pound. The rand is a decimal currency, with 100 cents to the rand, and the coins now in use are the fourth decimal series, from 2023.
Which South African banknotes are in use?
Five notes: R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200, the upgraded Mandela banknotes announced on 3 May 2023 and on sale from 4 May 2023. Nelson Mandela is on the front of every note, and the back shows one of the Big Five: the rhinoceros on the R10, elephant on the R20, lion on the R50, Cape buffalo on the R100 and leopard on the R200.
What is on South African coins?
Six coins are in use, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5, from the fourth decimal coin series of 2023. The backs show a Cape honey bee on the 10c, a bitter aloe on the 20c, a Knysna turaco on the 50c, a king protea on the R1, a springbok on the R2 and a southern right whale on the R5. Every coin also carries the National Coat of Arms and the year.
Are old South African rand notes still valid?
The notes to expect today are the upgraded Mandela banknotes on sale since 4 May 2023, in R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200. Which earlier notes remain legal tender is for the South African Reserve Bank to say, so check its banknotes page or ask a bank before you rely on an old note.
What is the Krugerrand?
The Krugerrand is a 1 oz gold coin launched in 1967, with the rand in its name. The rand itself is six years older, dating from 14 February 1961.
What is the India link to South Africa's currency?
The India link is people. The first indentured Indian labourers, 342 of them on the ship Truro, landed at Durban on 16 November 1860, and Mahatma Gandhi lived in South Africa from 1893 to 1914.
Buying from India
2 questionsHow much South African currency can I take out of India?
Up to the equivalent of USD 3,000 per trip in currency notes. Anything above that goes on a forex card or as a bank transfer, all within the USD 250,000 a year Liberalised Remittance Scheme limit.
How do I get rand for a trip to South Africa?
Order them before you fly. Matrix Forex, an RBI-authorised Category-II dealer, has the rand on its booking form: send your amount through the booking bar at the top of this page and the desk confirms your exact rate before anything is booked. For the live rate on any amount, see the ZAR to INR converter.