Zimbabwe bans the usage of foreign currencies! [update]

update (09 July 2019): Foreign travellers in Zimbabwe will can still use their own currency in cash or through credit and debit card. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has clarified that tourism operators are allowed to accept settlement for goods and services from tourists in foreign currency.

update (27 June 2019): The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) has released a statement regarding the ban of foreign currencies in Zimbabwe. According to the ZTA, the regulations will not negatively affect foreign travellers in the country.



The Government of Zimbabwe has outlawed the usage of international and regional currencies as legal tender for all local transactions in Zimbabwe. Currencies, such as the US Dollar, British Pound, South African Rand, the Botswana Pula and any other foreign currency are no longer acceptable in the country. According to a Statutory Instrument (SI142 of 2019) only Bond Notes and RTGS$ (Real Time Gross Settlement Dollar), which are both at par with the Zimbabwe Dollar*, are Zimbabwe's only legal tenders with effect from today (24 June 2019).

Government has gazetted SI142 of 2019 known as Zimbabwe (Legal Tender) Regulations. The Bond Note and the RTGS are now the only currency to be used for day today transactions in Zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/WecUAUnlWv

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) June 24, 2019

*there is currently no physical currency called the Zimbabwe Dollar in Zimbabwe!