South African startup NeoNomad has launched Africa’s first hybrid exchange platform, an innovative web application aimed at addressing the pressing issues of financial inclusion, high transaction costs, and limited banking accessibility across the continent.
The NeoNomad app offers a South African stablecoin called ZARcoin (ZARC), which is pegged 1:1 to the South African rand, and facilitates seamless digital transactions locally and – soon – internationally, integrating cryptocurrency and real currency with enhanced reliability and equity.
Held in reserves by South Africa-based ZARC (PTY) LTD, ZARC ensures security, verifiability, and transparency through simplified audits. ZARC provides liquidity and competitive rates, fostering a robust and resilient ecosystem. Following AML, CFT, KYC, and privacy regulations, ZARC guarantees a compliant and trustworthy environment.
“We want to empower people to make informed decisions about their investing,” said Hanres Beukes, CEO of NeoNomad. “With our hybrid exchange and web application, we’re creating a growing financial ecosystem that overcomes challenges like infrastructure and transport to help people take ownership of their finances and encourage economic participation.”
The web app is engineered for instant, cost-effective transactions using Solana Pay, offering secure, decentralised e-banking services. Users can make crypto payments using their holdings for point-of-sale transactions via QR code scanning. This integration seamlessly incorporates existing point-of-sale (POS) systems, enabling transactions with near-zero fees.