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Zimbabwe mobile money rates. Daily.
What is Mobile Money Rates?
Mobile Money Rates (MMR) tracks the daily USD/ZWG exchange rates offered by Zimbabwe's three major mobile money operators — EcoCash (Econet Wireless), OneMoney (NetOne), and Telecash (Telecel) — and compares them against the RBZ official interbank rate.
We also track the fee schedules for each platform so traders, small businesses, and individuals can calculate the true cost of sending money via mobile money before they transact.
How mobile money rates work in Zimbabwe
Mobile money operators in Zimbabwe are licensed to conduct foreign currency (USD) transactions alongside ZWG transactions. Each operator sets its own daily USD/ZWG rate based on its own foreign currency position, interbank market access, and commercial considerations.
The rate mobile money operators offer is almost always slightly below the RBZ official interbank rate — typically 1–3% lower (i.e., the operator gives you fewer ZWG per USD). This spread is how operators manage the cost of acquiring USD on the interbank market and funding their liquidity.
Official rate vs mobile money rate — an example
If the RBZ official rate is 26.78 ZWG per USD, EcoCash might offer 26.42 ZWG per USD — a spread of 0.36, or about 1.3% below official. This is normal and reflects the cost of liquidity provision, not market manipulation.
For most everyday USD→ZWG conversions, the mobile money rate is the most practically relevant rate because it is the rate at which most Zimbabweans actually transact.
The three mobile money operators
EcoCash
Econet Wireless. ~80% market share. Largest mobile money platform in Zimbabwe by transaction volume.
OneMoney
NetOne (state-owned telecom). Second-largest platform. Often slightly lower rates than EcoCash.
Telecash
Telecel Zimbabwe. Smallest of the three. Rates broadly similar to OneMoney.
About POTRAZ
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) is the regulatory body overseeing mobile money operations. POTRAZ sets maximum fee caps but does not regulate the exchange rates operators can offer — rates are set by each operator within RBZ foreign currency framework guidelines.
POTRAZ publishes quarterly reports on mobile money volumes and transaction values. See potraz.gov.zw for regulatory filings.
Why this matters to traders
For anyone who regularly converts between USD and ZWG — importers, cross-border traders, market vendors, diaspora remitters — the difference between the RBZ official rate and what mobile money operators actually offer is directly relevant to margins.
- A trader converting USD 1,000 per week at a rate 1% below RBZ loses approximately USD 10 per week — USD 520 per year.
- Mobile money fees add another 1.5–2.5% per transaction on top of the rate spread.
- Monitoring which operator offers the best rate on a given day can meaningfully reduce transaction costs over time.
- Rate alerts can help businesses lock in favorable rates when the spread narrows.
Data sources
Rate data
EcoCash rates are sourced from the Econet Wireless platform and published daily when market opens. OneMoney and Telecash rates are from the respective operator platforms.
RBZ official rates: Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, published daily.
Note: Rates shown are USD/ZWG (how many ZWG per 1 USD). A higher number means ZWG is weaker against USD.
Who built this?
Mobile Money Rates is an independent data publication. Not affiliated with Econet, EcoCash, NetOne, Telecel, POTRAZ, RBZ, or the Government of Zimbabwe.
Questions? hello@zimmobilerates.co.zw
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Reach Zimbabwe's traders, importers, mobile money power-users, and fintech operators — people who check mobile money rates because every percentage point of spread affects their margins.
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