VALR, South Africa’s crypto exchange, has been granted an Over-The-Counter Derivatives Provider license and an additional Financial Services Provider license by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority.
The ODP license allows VALR to offer Contracts for Difference and other derivatives with crypto assets and traditional assets as underlying instruments. According to the firm, these approvals make VALR one of the first entities in South Africa to provide such crypto-based services.
The ODP license enables VALR to offer a range of over-the-counter products, including CFDs on crypto assets, currencies, commodities, shares, and indices, as well as Quarterly and Perpetual Futures, Options, Forwards, and Swaps with crypto assets as the underlying. This is among the first instances in South Africa where a licensed financial service provider can offer such crypto derivatives.
Join IG, CMC, and Robinhood in London’s leading trading industry event!
[#highlighted-links#]
The FSP license expands VALR’s offerings to traditional financial products, including deposits, shares, bonds, and other securities.
VALR Secures Over-The-Counter Derivatives Provider License from South African Regulator
Johannesburg, South Africa, October 20th, 2025, Chainwire
VALR, the largest crypto exchange in South Africa by trade volume, has been granted an Over-The-Counter D… https://t.co/mspAUW6qhT
— Press Releases (@press_newswire) October 20, 2025
South Africa Updates Crypto Derivatives Regulations
In April 2024, VALR became one of the first crypto asset service providers in South Africa to receive both Category I and Category II licenses from the FSCA.
The latest approvals further develop South Africa’s regulatory framework for digital assets. They are expected to support financial inclusion and innovation in a market where crypto adoption is growing. They also position South Africa as one of the first African nations to regulate crypto derivatives.
South Africa Plans Stricter OTC Rules
South Africa’s regulators are preparing changes to the OTC derivatives market to reduce systemic risk and strengthen oversight of non-bank providers. The FSCA plans to introduce capital and central clearing requirements over the next three years.
Certain OTC products may need to be cleared through a central counterparty. Non-bank providers are expected to face stricter capital rules, aligning them with banks. Industry consultation on the proposals will begin before implementation.