[PRESS RELEASE – Johannesburg, South Africa, December 23rd, 2025]
South Africa has been making big strides in the cryptocurrency (crypto) industry. It has created one of the most advanced systems to regulate crypto globally. Since April 2024, over 300 companies that deal with crypto assets have received licenses to operate legally in the country. One of these companies is VALR, a popular crypto exchange. It was one of the first to get this license in South Africa. This year, VALR also obtained another important license called the Over-the-Counter Derivatives Provider (ODP) license from South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). Having this license allows VALR to offer special financial products related to crypto, including Contracts for Difference (CFDs), futures contracts, options, and swaps. These types of products didn’t exist before in South Africa with crypto as their base asset.
In 2025, VALR has grown its user base to over 1.7 million people from various parts of the world. Thousands of these users trade on VALR daily. Its most popular trading pairs include USDT/ZAR (digital dollars to South African Rands), BTC/ZAR (Bitcoin to Rands), and XRP/ZAR (Ripple’s token to Rands). VALR now offers more than 100 cryptocurrencies on its platform.
Since its start seven years ago, VALR has expanded beyond just providing crypto trading services. Today, people can use the VALR app for various financial activities. For example, they can make payments at over 31,000 stores and 700,000 locations across South Africa. This is made possible through partnerships with payment systems like Zapper, Scan-to-Pay, and Peach Payments. Additionally, VALR users can grow their savings by earning interest, called ‘yield,’ through staking and lending. In 2025 alone, users of VALR earned over $1 million from such activities. This money came from rewards like staking returns, lending, promotional events, and trading contests.
Farzam Ehsani, VALR’s Co-Founder and CEO, shared, “We have created a platform that anyone can use, from individuals to big companies. Our app is simple enough for grandparents to navigate, but we also offer advanced tools for institutions wanting to connect with crypto.”
Crypto Meets Traditional Finance Through Real-World Assets (RWAs)
In 2025, the global market has seen a growing connection between crypto and traditional finance. One area showing this progress is Real-World Assets (RWAs). These are digital tokens that represent real items, like gold, company stocks, or houses. The advantage of RWAs is that they can help people access financial markets that were previously out of reach. For example, a person who couldn’t invest in U.S. stocks directly might now be able to do so using RWAs on a blockchain.
This year, VALR took part in this trend. In July, it introduced a new token called Garrington Capital USD Private Credit Token (USDPC). This was a historic moment as it became Africa’s first tokenized asset of this kind. The USDPC allows individual investors to participate in the North American private credit market. In September, VALR also introduced tokens tied to U.S. company stocks, like Tesla and NVIDIA, and index funds like the S&P 500. These products, called xStocks, give users a simple way to gain exposure to U.S. markets. VALR was the first crypto exchange in Africa to make such offerings available.
Additionally, VALR launched “Crypto Bundles” this year, a feature aimed at simplifying investments for beginners. This tool helps users diversify their funds across multiple cryptocurrencies.
Badi Sudhakaran, VALR’s Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, explained, “We design our products to make finance fair and accessible. Everyone deserves tools to achieve financial independence.”
Institutions and Community Engagement in 2025
This year has also been significant for large organizations entering the crypto space. In the U.S., asset management companies like BlackRock and Vanguard began investing in crypto. Big companies, inspired by figures like Michael Saylor, also started adding Bitcoin to their company savings. Back in South Africa, similar growth is happening. VALR has partnered with several big institutions to develop crypto-related products. For example, it worked with Mukuru to improve the availability of stablecoins in Africa. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a stable value compared to regular currencies like the US dollar.
VALR is even helping some of South Africa’s top banks build services related to crypto. On the community side, VALR raised awareness about crypto through a sponsorship deal with the DHL Stormers rugby team. Its logo now appears on their gear and in the stadium. VALR also took a creative step by flying a helicopter across the country with a banner that read, “Crypto For Everyone.”
Farzam Ehsani summed it up by saying, “We want to make finance a tool that includes everyone and creates opportunities for all people. We are optimistic about what’s ahead in 2026, not just for VALR but for the entire world.”
About VALR
Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Johannesburg, VALR is a global crypto exchange that offers a wide range of services. These include trading, staking, lending, and digital payments. VALR is backed by well-known investors like Pantera Capital and Coinbase Ventures. It serves over 1.7 million users worldwide, including businesses and large organizations. VALR aims to create a fair financial future for everyone. Learn more by visiting valr.com.