Best Crypto Exchanges South Africa

Adam Rosen - Lead financial writer

Updated 19-Dec-2024

Cryptocurrency Exchanges in South Africa

The introduction of cryptocurrency in South Africa has been met with cautious expectations from both the government and the financial industry. While cryptocurrency in South Africa is not yet regulated, it is completely legal to buy and sell it. The Reserve Bank has issued a formal statement to this effect, which points out that there are no regulations to oversee the industry. The SARB does not monitor virtual currencies, and does not regulate the intermediaries. Despite these concerns, there is also a lack of transparency in the industry. This is why the Reserve Bank of South African is keen to support the growth of cryptocurrency in the country. Unlike many other parts of the continent, South Africa has adopted its own cryptocurrency trade and investment laws. As such, regulators expect a spike in crypto activity in the country. In fact, South Africa is ahead of many countries in Africa in this respect. While most central banks still direct commercial banks to avoid using cryptocurrency, the South African government has taken steps to create a more welcoming environment for the industry. This is good news for crypto investors and traders in the country.

Best Crypto Exchanges South Africa Table of Contents

Best South Africa Cryptocurrency Exchanges

  • Visit South Africa alternative eToro Cryptocurrency

    🀴 Used By: 23,200,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, BCH, XRP, DASH, LTC, ETC, ADA, MIOTA, XLM and 27 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 41,693,321
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Credit cards, VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club, Maestro, Debit Cards, Bank Transfer, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, WebMoney, China UnionPay, Giropay, Electronic wallets (eWallets), Ethereum, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dash, EOS, Ripple XRP, Litecoin, Zcash, Payoneer,

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: Fees vary. Overnight and weekend fees apply
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: US$5 (minimum withdrawal of US$50)
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: Fees vary (conversion fees for non-USD deposits)
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative eToroX

    🀴 Used By: 13,000,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, BCH, XRP, DASH, LTC, ETC, ADA, MIOTA, XLM and 27 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 42,043,394
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Credit cards, VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club, Maestro, Debit Cards, Bank Transfer, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, WebMoney, China UnionPay, Giropay, Electronic wallets (eWallets), Ethereum, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dash, EOS, Ripple XRP, Litecoin, Zcash, Payoneer,

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: Fees vary
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative Gate.io

    🀴 Used By: 4,000,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, ETC, XTZ, CLV, EOS, OMG, BNB, LTC, UNI and 820 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 5,945,756,067
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Cryptocurrency

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: Maker: 0.20%
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: None
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative LocalBitcoins

    🀴 Used By: 1,000,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC and 1 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 612,000,000
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Bank transfer (ACH)

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: None
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: Fees vary
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative KuCoin

    🀴 Used By: 8,000,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, XRP, BCH, EOS, LTC, ADA, XLM, TRX, NEO and 434 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 110,957,137
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Cryptocurrency

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: 0.10%
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: None
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative Huobi

    🀴 Used By: 10,000,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC, BCH, ETH, XRP, LTC, BTG, DASH, ETC, EOS, QTUM and 320 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 924,266
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Cryptocurrency

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: Maker: 0.2%
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: None
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: None
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative Coinbase

    🀴 Used By: 73,000,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: ATOM, BAT, BTC, BCH, XRP, DAI, DASH, EOS, ETH, ETC and 73 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 7,622,846,254
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Bank transfer (ACH)

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: Instant Card Withdrawal: Up to 2% of the transaction plus a minimum of 0.45
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: Credit/debit card: 3.99%
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative CoinJar

    🀴 Used By: 450,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, XRP, EOS, LTC, XLM, USDT, OMG, ZRX, MKR and 42 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 64,141,140
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Bank transfer

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: Maker: 0.05-0.15%
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: No Fees
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative Crypto.com

    🀴 Used By: 10,000,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, USDT, XRP, ATOM, XTZ, XLM, LINK, CRO, BCH and 153 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 2,630,000,000
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Credit card

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: Maker: 0.04-0.20%
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: Cryptocurrency: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: None
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

  • Visit South Africa alternative Coinmama

    🀴 Used By: 2,300,000
    ⚑ Crypto Available: BTC, ETH, ETC, BCH, LTC, ADA, QTUM, XRP, XTZ, EOS and 10 more cryptocurrency.
    πŸ“ˆ Traded Volume: 86,072,667,390
    πŸ’΅ Deposit Methods: Bank transfer (ACH)

    πŸ’° Trading Fees: 2.9-3.9% (depending on loyalty level)
    πŸ’° Withdrawal Fees: Fees vary
    πŸ’° Deposit Fees: Credit card: 5%
    Trading cryptocurrencies can be high risk. Losses may exceed deposits when trading CFDs.

Trading on a South Africa Crypto Exchange

The cryptocurrency markets in South Africa are highly volatile. This means that the fluctuations in the South Africa cryptocurrency prices are rather abrupt and happen every now and then. These price fluctuations also have a large impact on the value of the coins.

To counter these sudden changes in prices, more people are turning to crypto exchanges where they can trade cryptocurrencies in different pairs.

What Is a South Africa Crypto Exchange?

Crypto exchanges function similar to stock markets, but they handle digital assets like cryptocurrencies instead of stocks or securities. The concept behind crypto exchanges is really simple; you deposit some amount of Bitcoin on the exchange by transferring from your wallet address to their wallet address, and then you use it to buy other currencies or assets listed on the exchange at that moment.

Thus, for example if you want to buy Ethereum (ETH), you will transfer BTC from your wallet address to an exchange's ETH wallet address, and then you will receive ETH for your Bitcoins at an agreed upon rate, this is called 'buying on margin' as this whole process works almost exactly like margin trading with traditional stocks or securities, except here we deal with digital assets instead of physical ones.

If later down the road when you sold your Ethereum (for example) for Bitcoins, you would use that same mechanism but in reverse order: first sell ETH back into BTC so it goes into your exchange account again; then go ahead and withdraw back your BTC from the exchange account right back into your own personal wallet address since this operation is called 'withdrawing', all these steps can normally be done within seconds or minutes by using an intuitive user interface provided by most crypto exchanges nowadays.

Growth Of South Africa Crypto Exchanges

The trading of cryptocurrency is the most recent craze to hit the South Africa financial industry. Many South Africa crypto traders are seeing significant increase of trading crypto asset volume, which is attracting the attention of many other new South Africa traders. Successful cryptocurrency trading in South Africa, needs the short listing and identification of reputable, South Africa regulated cryptocurrency exchanges that are well-known and accessible to South Africa residents.

How do South Africa Crypto Exchanges Work?

A South Africa cryptocurrency exchange is a platform that enables South Africa cryptocurrency traders to perform their transactions on the South Africa crypto trading platforms. These South Africa crypto exchanges enable you to purchase and sell cryptocurrencies whenever you choose, from the comfort of your own South Africa home. A South Africa cryptocurrency exchange also provides South Africa traders with the ability to convert one digital currency into another. It is possible to change your Bitcoin into Ethereum, Litecoin or Dogecoin, for example.

To buy cryptocurrency coins, South Africa crypto users who are interested in buying and selling crypto assets in South Africa will have to register with a South Africa crypto exchange and go through a series of verification processes before being able to transfer South Africa funds into an account for buying coins in their chosen digital currency.

How To Use South Africa Crypto Exchanges

When using a South Africa crypto exchange, it is feasible for a South Africa crypto trader to purchase ordinary South Africa currency in return for cryptocurrency. Using U.S. dollars, for example, you could purchase Bitcoin, Ethereum or Litecoin and then convert it into conventional South Africa money. If you wish to convert your cryptocurrency into South Africa cash, a South Africa crypto exchange may also provide you with cash in your South Africa bank account.

Are South Africa Crypto Exchanges Safe?

In general, South Africa cryptocurrency exchanges and wallets do not provide the same level of protection and security in the same manner that a South Africa bank would when holding South Africa fiat money.

As the value of cryptocurrencies has risen, so has the number of thefts and South Africa crypto exchange assaults, which have climbed in number.

The value of a cryptocurrency has risen and dropped substantially in recent years, and crypto assets are often considered to be very volatile investments for South Africa crypto traders.

Only buy or sell cryptocurrency assets with a South Africa cryptocurrenct exchange that is well regulated around the world as well as specifically for South Africa residents

Due to the fact that South Africa cryptocurrency trading platforms are currently largely unregulated, most South Africa crypto trading platforms are under no duty to comply with South Africa financial reporting rules or to offer securities investor protection processes.

Only use a South Africa cryptocurrency exchange that has been approved and regulated to provide services to South Africa cryptocurrency traders.

To safeguard money and South Africa retail crypto traders in South Africa against theft and misuse, financial-regulated South Africa exchanges are expected to take additional steps.

Why Do South Africa Crypto Traders Need Crypto Exchanges?

As mentioned before one of their main functions is being able to provide liquidity between different cryptocurrencies or digital assets because basically every single coin has a small market cap which means there is never enough volume traded on any given day thus making it hard for someone who wants to buy small amounts of a coin like 1-10 dollars worth not only because he won't get such a small amount but also because even getting close would require him paying too much money as high spreads exist.

How Do You Buy Cryptocurrency in the South Africa?

Buying cryptocurrency can be a little confusing for the first time. It is important to do your homework and research different exchanges before deciding on one. The best way to purchase cryptocurrency is through an exchange which allows you to use fiat currency (USD, EUR, GBP etc) to purchase cryptocurrency.

We recommend well established South Africa crypto exchanges like eToro, Coinbase and Binance, because they are easy to use, have a good reputation and large user base and offer good crypto liquidity to crypto exchange users in the South Africa.

It also takes just a few minutes to set up your account with these South Africa crypto exchanges and verify your identity, making them one of the fastest ways to get started with buying popular crypto coins like Bitcoin or Ripple in the South Africa.

What Should You Look for When Choosing a South Africa Crypto Exchange?

When choosing a South Africa cryptocurrency exchange, make sure it is financially regulated, safe, and has enough crypto liquidity so you can buy and sell your crypto quickly when needed. Make sure you're aware of the funding and withdrawal fees for local South Africa and worldwide crypto exchanges. We list below in detail what you should check with your South Africa crypto exchange before signing up.

Range of Cryptocurrencies Available To South Africa Traders

When trading cryptocurrency in the South Africa you will need to check what cryptocurrencies are available to you to buy and sell. You could want to look for an exchange that offers certain stablecoins, altcoins, trading pairings, and other trading services like margin trading or over-the-counter (OTC) transactions.

Importance of South Africa Crypto Exchange Financial Regulation

Financial regulation is very important when buying or selling cryptocurrencies with your South Africa crypto broker or exchange.

Financial regulation protects you the consumer and your data. As cryptocurrency trading in the South Africa is still relatively new and is seeing new growth, crypto financial regulation is needed as new crypto coins are released everyday.

Without financial regulation monitoring South Africa crypto exchanges, consumers may be prone to market manipulation of volatile new cryptocurrencies.

South Africa Crypto Exchange Liquidity

The more liquid a given exchange is, the larger the trade volume is. Liquidity allows transactions to be completed more quickly, easily, and without having to cope with price volatility. Check to determine if an exchange offers "locked-in" pricing, which assures you the price at the time of your transaction even if it does not settle right away.

Be warned that liquidity for different trading pairs may vary for your chosen South Africa crypto exchange. For example, liquidity could be high for BTC/USD but very low liquidity for the trading pair BTC/EUR. Its something you must check and be aware of when trading with your South Africa cryptocurrency exchange.

South Africa Crypto Exchange Fees

South Africa Crypto Exchange may charge fees when you buy, sell, or convert cryptocurrencies.

South Africa Crypto Exchange fees are calculated by your South Africa cryptocurrency platform at the time your order is placed. South Africa Crypto Exchange fees based on a number of factors, including the payment method you choose, the size of your transaction, and market circumstances including volatility and liquidity.

South Africa Crypto Exchange Withdrawal Fees

Withdrawal fees may differ not only for each South Africa Crypto Exchange, but each cryptocurrency. For example withdrawal fees for stablecoins and some altcoin withdrawal fees may differ.

South Africa Crypto Exchange Deposit Fees

Depending on the deposit method you use when funding your South Africa Crypto Exchange account the fees charged may vary. For example if you decide to fund your South Africa Crypto Exchange account with a debit or credit card there may be a percentage fee or 5% or more.

South Africa Crypto Exchange Security

When actively trading with a South Africa crypto exchange its security measures are of the upmost importance. If a South Africa crypto exchange is not secure your crypto money may be hacked and disappear. Your funds could be stolen if an exchange is unsecure.

Cold Wallets on South Africa Crypto Exchanges

Make sure you use secure cold wallet storage solutions with your South Africa crypto exchange. Cold wallets are not directly connected to the internet so are safer then hot wallets on your South Africa crypto exchange.

South Africa Crypto Exchange Two Factor Authentication

Because of security concerns, two-factor authentication is required when buying and selling cryptocurrency on a South Africa crypto exchange. When logging in or withdrawing funds from a South Africa crypto exchange, multi-factor authentication adds an extra degree of security to passwords. A text message to a phone device or an e-mail can be used for two-factor authentication.

Withdrawal Notifications From Your South Africa Crypto Exchange Account

A great security feature of the best crypto exchanges in the South Africa are withdrawal notifications.

Withdrawal notifications are email or txt messages to your mobile phone notifying you as soon as a withdrawal request is made to your South Africa crypto exchange account. If you did not make the withdrawal request you will have a chance to cancel the transaction request.

How Do I Open a South Africa Crypto Exchange Account?

Verify Your South Africa ID To Pass KYC Checks

You can open an account with a South Africa cryptocurrency exchange or two once you've decided on the best South Africa crypto exchange that best suits your needs. You may be required to prove your identification depending on the platform and the amount you intend to purchase from the South Africa crypto exchange. This is a necessary step in preventing fraud and complying with strict financial regulation, which all reputable crypto exchanges in the South Africa adhere too.

You might not be able to buy or trade cryptocurrencies in the South Africa until the verification process has been completed. You may be required to produce a copy of your driver's licence or passport, as well as a recent photograph to verify that your appearance matches the KYC documentation you submit to your crypto exchange in the South Africa.

Fund Your South Africa Crypto Exchange Account

To purchase cryptocurrency in South Africa, you must first ensure that you have enough funds in your South Africa crypto account.

It's not that hard to get started with crypto in South Africa. However, there are some things you need to watch out for when it comes to funding your South Africa crypto account. You also need to be careful about where you keep your private keys.

Ways to Fund Your South Africa Crypto Exchange Account

Depositing your funds into your shortlisted South Africa crypto exchange should be free of fees. However, don't forget that you may have to pay a transaction fee if moving your funds from multiple exchanges. You might have to pay a withdrawal fee to take your crypto out or a fee if there is a currency conversion fee for depositing with your South Africa crypto exchange.

Crypto Exchange Funding with South Africa Bank Transfers

For many people, the idea of sending funds directly from their South Africa bank accounts will make sense because they are already familiar with this process. It's simple enough and there shouldn't be any issues getting funds into an exchange if you have the right information on hand.

After you've linked your South Africa bank account, Just follow the online instructions and send over the required amount. Again, keep in mind that fees may apply depending on which exchange you choose and local South Africa currency exchange fees.

South Africa Crypto Exchange Funding with Credit Cards

If you don't like paying fees or if there is a limit on withdrawals from your South Africa bank account then using a credit card could be a better alternative than waiting around longer periods of time or paying more money on transfer fees.

However, many exchanges require KYC before accepting credit cards so consider this before depositing funds into an exchange!

South Africa Crypto Exchange Funding with Cryptocurrency

Many of the larger more established crypto exchanges in the South Africa allow funding of your crypto account with many popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and even Dogecoin.

Check with your shortlisted South Africa crypto exchanges to see what cryptocurrency funding methods they support.

South Africa Frequently Asked Questions

Following are the most commonly asked questions (and their answers) about South Africa:

Are South Africa Crypto Exchanges Safe?

Yes, South Africa is backed by high profile investors and regulated by reputed financial authorities.

How Do I Withdraw From South Africa Crypto Exchanges?

Users can withdraw their South Africa crypto exchange to fiat currencies any time they want through an ACH transfer. Such transfers normally take 1-2 working days.

Do I Have To Pay TAX With South Africa Crypto Exchanges?

Yes you will need to check with an accountant and your local tax office in the South Africa to check if any crypto taxes are due.


Best South Africa Crypto Exchange Reviews

If South Africa isn’t quite what you are looking for you can check out some of the best South Africa alternatives below.

Best South Africa Crypto Exchanges Alternatives Guides

If you would like to see South Africa compared agains some of the best South Africa crypto exchange alternatives available right now you can do so by clicking on the links below.