Latest news with #FarzamEhsani
Business Insider
31-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
VALR pioneers xStocks in South Africa
Africa's largest crypto exchange becomes the first platform on the continent to introduce tokenised U.S. equities trading. VALR, Africa's largest crypto exchange by trade volume, today announced the launch of xStocks on its platform. This offering enables customers to gain price exposure through tokenisation of leading U.S.-listed equities, including Tesla, NVIDIA, Robinhood, Circle, and Coinbase. With this move, VALR becomes the first crypto exchange in the region to offer tokenised equities, marking a significant step towards financial inclusion and simplified investment opportunities across Africa. xStocks, launched by Backed in May 2025, are 1:1-backed tokenised representations of U.S.-listed equities and ETFs, providing price exposure to token holders. However, the xStocks tokens do not confer ownership rights, voting rights or other shareholder rights and privileges to token holders. These tokens can be traded on VALR's Spot market against TetherUSD (USDT) or against other crypto assets, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, or even the South African rand, via the Simple Buy/Sell terminal. Additionally, xStocks can be deposited and withdrawn via the Solana network, ensuring seamless and efficient transactions across the crypto ecosystem. This launch reflects a growing global trend of tokenising real-world assets, further bridging the gap between traditional finance and the crypto economy. By offering xStocks, VALR empowers its users to diversify their portfolios with price exposure to some of the world's most prominent companies, fostering greater access to global markets and simplifying investment strategies. The introduction of xStocks follows VALR's recent launch of the Garrington Capital USD Private Credit Token (USDPC), a yield-bearing crypto asset, as part of its broader VALR Invest initiative. These developments underscore VALR's commitment to delivering innovative financial products that enhance portfolio diversification and accessibility. Farzam Ehsani, Co-Founder and CEO of VALR, commented: 'The launch of xStocks on our platform represents a pivotal moment in advancing access to innovative products that brings choice and inclusion to people in South Africa, with a plan to make the product available to the continent and globally in the near future. By blending crypto and traditional finance, we are forging a financial system that brings down barriers and serves many more with unprecedented ease. This initiative not only strengthens VALR's global profile but also reaffirms our commitment to bringing innovation and progress to our phenomenal community of VALR users.' 'We're excited to have xStocks on VALR, marking another step in the xStocks mission to bring tokenised equities to users worldwide, in the platforms they use,' said David Henderson, Head of Growth at Backed, the issuer of xStocks. 'We have seen incredible adoption for these assets, and now users from Africa will be able to access them on VALR, participating in tokenised capital markets.' About VALR Founded in 2018, VALR is Africa's largest crypto exchange by trade volume, serving over 1,400 corporate and institutional clients and more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Headquartered in Johannesburg, VALR offers a comprehensive suite of crypto products, including Spot Trading, Spot Margin, Futures, Staking, Lending, API services, Subaccounts, OTC Trading, Simple Buy & Sell, and VALR Pay. Licensed by the FSCA in South Africa and with approval to serve parts of the European Union, VALR has secured $55 million in equity funding from leading investors, including Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures, GSR, and F-Prime, affiliated with Fidelity Investments. For more information, visit About xStocks VALR
Business Insider
23-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
VALR Introduces USD Private Credit Token (USDPC), Pioneering Tokenised Real-World Assets in Africa
Johannesburg, South Africa, July 23rd, 2025, Chainwire VALR, Africa's largest crypto exchange by trade volume, announces the launch of the Garrington Capital USD Private Credit Token (USDPC) on its platform, marking a significant milestone in the integration of crypto and traditional finance. As the only crypto exchange in Africa to offer this innovative product, VALR is at the forefront of the global rise in tokenised real-world assets, delivering institutional-grade investment opportunities to its global user base. USDPC, a yield-bearing crypto asset, now available to all VALR clients, represents a tokenised interest in the Garrington Private Credit Strategy (the 'Strategy'), managed by Garrington Capital. The Strategy invests in a diversified portfolio of senior secured, asset-backed private loans across North America, targeting annual returns of 8-10%. The token, issued by RainFin, offers stablecoin holders, asset managers, and businesses a unique opportunity to diversify portfolios, protect against currency risk, and access consistent, risk-adjusted returns with low correlation to traditional markets. Initially offered to VALR's institutional clients, USDPC is now accessible to all customers through VALR's over-the-counter (OTC) desk. With a focus on enhancing user experience, VALR is developing its forthcoming VALR Invest platform, which will streamline subscription and redemption processes for USDPC and introduce additional innovative financial products in the near future. 'We are thrilled to bring USDPC to our clients, bridging the gap between traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem,' said Farzam Ehsani, Co-Founder and CEO of VALR. 'This product underscores VALR's commitment to providing more people around the world with access to financial products that have traditionally been highly exclusive, and offering innovative investment solutions that truly empower our customers.' USDPC is backed by Garrington Capital's proven expertise, with over $6 billion deployed across North America since its inception in 1999. The Strategy, as accessed through USDPC, has a strong 10-year track record, having delivered a net annualised 3-year return of 10.70% (as of June 2025). The Strategy prioritises capital preservation with the current portfolio having over 105 asset-backed loans, 99% of which are first position senior secured loans. The underlying portfolio of loans is diversified across five lending categories managed by the experienced Garrington Capital team. 'This launch reflects our commitment to expanding how investors access private credit. While our strategy remains grounded in discipline, we are proud to partner with RainFin, VALR and CAEP Partners on a structure that broadens access through technology while preserving the strength and integrity of our investment process,' said Toreigh Stuart, Managing Director at Garrington Capital. RainFin, VALR's tokenisation partner, plays a pivotal role in bringing USDPC to market, leveraging its expertise in fractionalising and tokenising debt instruments. 'RainFin is proud to partner with VALR in democratising access to institutional-grade private assets through tokenisation,' said Sean Emery, CEO at RainFin. 'By fractionalising these traditionally exclusive investments, we're not just bridging the gap between traditional finance and digital assets – we're opening doors for investors across Africa and beyond to participate in high-quality, yield-bearing opportunities that were previously out of reach.' USDPC offers enhanced liquidity with daily re-pricing and redemption options of 7-30 days, alongside same-day liquidity on a best-efforts basis. VALR charges a competitive spread for accessing USDPC through its OTC desk. As part of VALR's broader vision to expand its VALR Invest offering, USDPC represents the first of many yield-bearing products designed to meet the growing demand for tokenised real-world assets. This launch reinforces VALR's position as a leader in Africa's crypto ecosystem, driving financial innovation and inclusion. About VALR Founded in 2018, VALR is Africa's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trade volume, serving over 1.4 million users and 1,400 corporate and institutional clients globally. Headquartered in Johannesburg, VALR is a fully licensed Virtual Asset Service Provider by South Africa's Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), with regulatory approvals in Europe and initial approval from Dubai's VARA. VALR offers a comprehensive suite of crypto products, including Spot Trading, Futures, Staking, Lending, OTC Trading, and VALR Pay. Backed by investors such as Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures, GSR, and F-Prime, VALR has raised $55 million in equity funding. About Garrington Capital Garrington Capital is a specialist private credit manager with over 25 years of experience providing working capital solutions to small and medium-sized businesses across North America. With more than $6 billion deployed since inception, Garrington's investment strategy focuses on senior secured, asset-backed loans, delivering consistent, risk-adjusted returns with low volatility. About RainFin RainFin is pioneering the future of finance by bringing real-world assets onto blockchain rails. Headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, RainFin is a fully licensed Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP45756), delivering legally enforceable tokenised investment products with regulatory confidence. The platform democratises access to traditionally exclusive financial markets through fractionalising and tokenising financial instruments, enabling efficient global markets with 24/7 liquidity and reduced settlement costs. Stay Connected For more information about VALR, visit or contact press@ Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements and, Crypto Assets This news release may contain "forward-looking information". Forward-looking information contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as, "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "plan", "forecast", "project", "estimate", "outlook" and other similar expressions, and includes statements with respect to past performance and targeted returns of the USDPC. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors relevant in the circumstances, including assumptions in respect of current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment. All historical figures cited in this news release, including amounts deployed by Garrington Capital, the Strategy's net annualised 3-year return, and figures relating to the Strategy's current portfolio composition are through to and as at June 30, 2025. Returns of the Strategy are the composite net annualised returns of the core vehicles and portfolios managed by Garrington Capital since inception on 1 June 2015, stated net of all fees. Although VALR believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because VALR can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. This investment opportunity is brought to you through the distribution partnership between VALR and RainFin. VALR is not the issuer of USDPC and VALR's role is strictly limited to that of facilitation on its platform. USDPC tokens represent capital contributions to the Garrington Private Credit en Commandite Limited Partnership. Past performance is not an indicator of future performance. Investment involves risk. Performance and liquidity are not guaranteed by VALR. Please read all relevant documentation before investing. Trading or investing in crypto assets is risky and may result in the loss of capital as the value may fluctuate - please refer to our comprehensive set of risk disclosures here. VALR makes no guarantee as to the performance of this product nor any returns being provided. Past performance is not an indicator of future performance, and investment involves risk. Please read all relevant documentation before investing. Any information provided by VALR in relation to this token offering is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, tax, or legal advice. You are solely responsible for your investment decisions. VALR is not liable for any losses arising from the volatility, illiquidity, technological failures, or other risks inherent in virtual assets and this specific token. VALR
Business Insider
10-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
VALR and MoonPay Announce Integration to Enhance Global Crypto Access
Johannesburg, South Africa, June 10th, 2025, Chainwire VALR, Africa's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trade volume, and MoonPay, the global leader in crypto payments, today announced their integration to streamline fiat on- and off-ramps for users in over 180 countries. This partnership enables VALR to support 34 fiat currencies, including KES (Kenyan Shilling), NGN (Nigerian Naira), IDR (Indonesian Rupiah), TRY (Turkish Lira), BRL (Brazilian Real), and TWD (Taiwan Dollar), across payment methods such as Credit and Debit Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo. The integration strengthens VALR's mission to expand its global footprint and provide seamless access to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and stablecoins. With a user base exceeding 1.3 million and over 1,300 corporate and institutional clients, VALR continues to lead the development of a more inclusive global financial system. 'We are thrilled to partner with MoonPay to enhance our platform's accessibility for users worldwide,' said Farzam Ehsani, Co-Founder and CEO of VALR. 'This integration empowers our global community with efficient access to cryptocurrencies, aligning with VALR's vision of building a financial system that reflects the oneness of humanity.' 'We believe the future of money is crypto, and our goal is to make it easy for everyone to participate in this new digital economy,' said Ivan Soto-Wright, co-founder and CEO at MoonPay. 'Partnering with VALR to broaden access to stablecoins and other tokens is an exciting step toward our shared mission of global crypto adoption, empowering users in Africa and beyond to hold value on-chain.' Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Johannesburg, VALR offers a comprehensive suite of crypto services, including Spot Trading, Futures, Staking, Lending, OTC Trading, VALR Pay, and a world-class API for businesses to build on and high-frequency traders. Licensed by South Africa's FSCA, with regulatory approvals in Europe and initial approval from Dubai's VARA, VALR has raised $55 million from investors such as Pantera Capital, Fidelity's F-Prime, and Coinbase Ventures. MoonPay, trusted by over 30 million users, provides end-to-end solutions to simplify crypto access across 180+ countries. About VALR VALR is Africa's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trade volume, serving over 1.3 million users and 1,300 corporate clients. Founded in 2018, VALR offers products including Spot Trading, Futures, Staking, Lending, OTC Trading, VALR Pay, and a world-class API for businesses to build on and high-frequency traders. Headquartered in Johannesburg, VALR is licensed by the FSCA in South Africa, with approvals in Europe and initial approval from Dubai's VARA. The company has raised $55 million from investors like Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures, and F-Prime. For more, visit About MoonPay MoonPay creates a world where you own your digital future, giving you control of your identity, money, property, and data. We are the market leader in end-to-end solutions simplifying access to the crypto economy for 30M+ verified accounts across 180+ countries, and trusted by iconic global brands to power the creation and movement of digital value. Contact VALR
