Johannesburg, South Africa, December 23rd, 2025 – South Africa has emerged as a leader in the crypto sector, establishing one of the most advanced regulatory frameworks globally. Since April 2024, more than 300 crypto asset service providers have successfully obtained licenses. VALR, one of the pioneering companies to secure a crypto license in South Africa, has recently been granted an Over-the-Counter Derivatives Provider (ODP) license by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). This new license allows VALR to offer a variety of over-the-counter derivatives, including Contracts for Difference (CFDs), Quarterly and Perpetual Futures Contracts, Options, Forwards, and Swaps, all underpinned by crypto assets. This development signifies a landmark achievement, as it is among the first instances in South Africa where a financial service provider is authorized to deliver such products tied to cryptocurrencies.
VALR’s User Growth and Expanding Services
In 2025, VALR has made notable progress in expanding its user base, now boasting over 1.7 million registered users, with hundreds of thousands actively engaging each month and tens of thousands participating daily. The exchange has significantly broadened its offerings, listing more than 100 cryptocurrencies available for trading on its platform. Among these, the trading pairs USDT/ZAR, BTC/ZAR, and XRP/ZAR have emerged as the most favored choices among users.
Over the past seven years, VALR has evolved beyond merely providing exchange services. In a bid to deliver a more comprehensive range of financial offerings, VALR now allows customers to utilize its app for transactions at over 31,000 retail stores and 700,000 locations across South Africa. This has been made possible through partnerships with payment platforms such as Zapper, Scan-to-Pay, and Peach Payments. Additionally, users can now earn interest on their savings via lending and staking options available on the VALR platform.
This year alone, VALR users have collectively earned over $1 million in rewards through various avenues, including staking, lending, airdrops, promotions, and trading competitions. Farzam Ehsani, Co-Founder and CEO of VALR, stated, “Our goal has been to create a robust platform that caters to all users—individuals and institutions alike. We’ve designed our app and website to be user-friendly, while also providing a sophisticated API for corporate clients to access our liquidity, pricing, custody, and more.”
Innovating with Real World Assets
This year has also seen significant advancements in the integration of cryptocurrency with traditional finance, particularly through the concept of real world assets (RWAs). RWAs are blockchain-based tokens that represent tangible assets such as gold, stocks, or real estate, which traditionally do not exist on a blockchain. This innovation enhances access to global markets that were previously difficult to navigate for many individuals, allowing them to participate in investment opportunities that may have once been beyond their reach.
In July of this year, VALR introduced the Garrington Capital USD Private Credit Token (USDPC), marking Africa’s first tokenized asset of its kind. This initiative enables retail investors to access the North American high-yield private credit market, a previously inaccessible asset class for most individual investors. Following this, in September, VALR launched xStocks, allowing users to easily gain exposure to U.S. stocks and index funds, including well-known companies such as Tesla, NVIDIA, and Coinbase. VALR was the first cryptocurrency exchange on the African continent to offer such products. The year also saw the introduction of Crypto Bundles on VALR, which simplifies the process for newcomers to create a diversified crypto investment portfolio. Badi Sudhakaran, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, remarked, “Our innovations are designed to meet the needs of all customers, ensuring that finance is fair and financial instruments are accessible so that everyone can confidently take charge of their financial futures.”
Institutional Engagement and Community Outreach
2025 marked a pivotal moment for institutional involvement in the cryptocurrency landscape. Particularly in the U.S., major asset managers, including Vanguard and BlackRock, have begun to explore the realm of crypto investments. Many corporations, inspired by Michael Saylor’s Strategy, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder, have started to allocate Bitcoin to their treasury reserves. South Africa has also witnessed significant movements in the institutional sector.
VALR has formed partnerships with major institutions across Africa—some yet to be named—providing essential crypto infrastructure for these entities to develop and deliver crypto products to their customers. In collaboration with Mukuru, VALR has enhanced access to US dollar stablecoins in Africa and is currently facilitating the establishment of crypto asset services at several leading banks in South Africa.
In an effort to promote the benefits of cryptocurrency, VALR signed a multi-year sponsorship with the DHL Stormers rugby team, featuring its logo on team jerseys and at the DHL Stadium, which includes a VIP suite for the exchange. To bolster this initiative, VALR has been flying a helicopter across the country with a banner stating “Crypto For Everyone.” As Farzam Ehsani expressed, “We are committed to fostering a financial landscape that unites people, transforming opportunities into fundamental rights for all. As we approach 2026, we are optimistic about the prospects ahead, not just for VALR and our users, but for the cryptocurrency industry, our nation, our continent, and the world at large.”
About VALR
Established in 2018 and based in Johannesburg, VALR is supported by notable investors such as Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures, and Fidelity’s F-Prime Capital. The exchange provides a wide array of services, including Spot Trading, Margin Trading, Perpetual Futures, Staking, Lending, Borrowing, OTC services, VALR Invest, Crypto Bundles, and VALR Pay. Licensed by South Africa’s FSCA and with regulatory approval in Europe, VALR caters to over 1.7 million users and 1,800 corporate and institutional clients globally. The exchange is dedicated to promoting a fair financial future that respects human dignity and fosters unity among people.
