Zaru Network has officially launched ZAR Universal (ZARU), a new institutional-grade stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the South African Rand (ZAR) in partnership with Luno, a leading South African crypto exchange.
Designed to modernise payments and financial infrastructure, ZARU enables both retail and institutional participants to transact at internet speed while strengthening the local financial system.
Traditionally, payments, cross-border trade, and remittances using the Rand have been constrained by limited banking hours and high fees. By operating on blockchain technology, ZARU offers a trusted, Rand-backed digital currency capable of instant, 24/7 settlement, connecting South African markets directly with the global digital economy.
Every ZARU issued is fully backed by high-quality, liquid Rand-denominated assets, including cash, bank deposits (Standard Bank South Africa), and South African government bonds, independently audited each month by Moore Johannesburg for transparency and stability. These assets remain within the South African financial system to help drive global demand for Rand-denominated holdings.
Introducing $ZARU
The South African Rand just went global.
Today marks the official launch of ZAR Universal $ZARU – a new institutional-grade, Rand-backed stablecoin, built to bring faster, cheaper and always-on payments to the internet economy.
What makes $ZARU… https://t.co/RAjRe8ChCW
— EasyEquities (@EasyEquities) February 3, 2026
The underlying assets are managed by Sanlam Specialised Asset Management (Pty) Ltd under a formal asset liability management agreement.
“We are excited to provide asset liability management services through Sanlam Specialised Asset Management given its potential to significantly contribute to financial inclusion,” said Jacques Le Roux, CEO of Sanlam Financial Markets.
“We’re connecting traditional financial markets to the world of blockchain to enable cheaper, faster payments.”
The initiative is a collaborative effort between some of South Africa’s most respected financial institutions,
Luno
Sanlam
EasyEquities, and
Lesaka
combining established financial infrastructure with blockchain innovation to unlock real-world utility and accelerate adoption of a Rand-backed digital asset.
“We are delighted to collaborate with trusted institutions to launch a Rand-backed stablecoin with meaningful real-world applications,” said James Lanigan, CEO of Luno.
“ZARU is a crucial milestone for South Africa’s digital economy. It’s designed to make everyday payments and money transfers faster and cheaper, while fully supported by secure reserves that help strengthen the local financial system.”
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“Our mission has always been to make investing easy and accessible,” added Charles Savage, CEO of EasyEquities.
“We’re providing South Africans with a fast, trusted, and low-cost way to seamlessly participate in the future of finance while keeping the Rand at the center.”
“We are delighted to support the evolution of South Africa’s payments infrastructure through this partnership,” said Ali Mazanderani, Executive Chairman of Lesaka.
“We believe ZARU is exceptionally well positioned to accelerate the speed and reduce the cost of Rand payments, benefitting consumers, businesses and society as a whole.”
From today, ZARU is available exclusively to qualified institutional investors via the trading desks of Luno and EasyEquities. The platforms plan a phased rollout to broaden access to retail users in the near future.
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