ZAR is a digital wallet and stablecoin infrastructure platform designed to enable cash-to-crypto conversion at corner stores across emerging markets globally. The platform bridges cash-based economies with Web3 by allowing users to walk into local shops, scan QR codes, and exchange physical cash for digital stablecoins like USDT and USDC that are deposited directly into their wallets. ZAR leverages the existing network of 28 million mobile money agents worldwide who already facilitate over 1.5 trillion dollars in financial services annually outside traditional banking systems. The platform provides users with access to stable digital dollars as protection against local currency volatility, enables low-cost cross-border transactions, and offers virtual and physical debit cards for spending digital assets globally. ZAR addresses the critical financial inclusion gap for billions of people in countries with unstable currencies and limited banking infrastructure.

Technology & Features

ZAR operates as a physical crypto exchange network that exists in the real world rather than purely online. The platform transforms corner stores, bodegas, kirana shops, and local merchants into cryptocurrency on-ramps by integrating with existing mobile money agent infrastructure present in emerging markets worldwide. These agents already handle a massive volume of financial services including phone top-ups, bill payments, and remittances, making them ideal partners for crypto adoption.

The user experience is designed for simplicity and accessibility. Customers open the ZAR mobile app, locate nearby participating vendors displayed on an interactive map, and view each vendor's ratings, exchange rates, and available liquidity. Upon selecting a vendor, users generate a QR code within the app representing their transaction request. At the physical store, the customer shows the QR code to the merchant who scans it, the customer hands over cash, and the equivalent stablecoins are deposited instantly into the customer's ZAR wallet.

Merchants benefit from the platform through earning opportunities on exchange rate spreads. Each vendor can set their own exchange rate within market parameters and add a margin for profit. This creates a competitive marketplace where vendors with better rates and service attract more customers and earn positive ratings. ZAR collects a small transaction fee that varies by region, with the fee structure designed to maintain affordability in price-sensitive markets.

The platform supports major stablecoins including USDT and USDC, providing users with access to dollar-denominated digital assets regardless of local currency conditions. In countries experiencing inflation, currency controls, or economic instability, access to stable digital dollars represents significant value preservation compared to holding depreciating local currency. ZAR enables users to convert cash into stablecoins and store value digitally, then use that value for global transactions, online purchases, remittances, or conversion back to local currency when needed.

ZAR includes integrated virtual and physical debit card capabilities, allowing users to spend their digital dollars at millions of merchants worldwide. The cards connect directly to wallet balances, enabling seamless conversion between stablecoins and fiat for everyday purchases. This bridges the gap between crypto holdings and real-world spending, making digital assets practical for daily life rather than purely speculative investments.

The platform implements security measures to protect users including transaction verification, wallet encryption, fraud detection systems, and customer support for dispute resolution. Vendors undergo verification processes to ensure legitimacy and compliance with local regulations. The rating system provides transparency about vendor reliability, helping users avoid potentially problematic exchanges.

ZAR is deliberately engineered to facilitate dollar inflows without enabling capital flight. The platform helps people access stable digital dollars while keeping that value within their local economies. Users can receive remittances, store savings, and conduct commerce using stablecoins, but the infrastructure encourages circulation within emerging markets rather than extracting capital to developed economies. This approach addresses concerns about crypto enabling capital flight and positions ZAR as complementary to rather than competitive with local financial systems.

Understand the Vision and Impact

ZAR represents part of a broader movement bringing blockchain technology benefits to populations that can derive the most tangible value from it. For people living in countries with hyperinflation, currency controls, or limited banking access, stablecoins provide practical utility for wealth preservation, cross-border transactions, and financial sovereignty that goes far beyond the speculative trading focus of most crypto activity.

By making stablecoin access as simple as walking to a corner store with cash, ZAR dramatically lowers adoption barriers compared to complex crypto exchanges requiring bank accounts, identity verification, and technical knowledge. The platform meets users where they are with technology and infrastructure they already understand and trust, then introduces them to the benefits of digital assets in an accessible way.

The focus on preventing capital flight while enabling dollar access aligns the platform with local economic development goals rather than positioning it as a tool for extracting wealth from emerging economies. This approach may lead to more favorable regulatory treatment and partnerships with governments seeking to modernize financial infrastructure while maintaining economic sovereignty.

Team & Background

ZAR was co-founded by Brandon Timinsky and Sebastian Scholl in 2024. Timinsky brings extensive experience from his role as founder and former CEO of SadaPay, a Pakistan-based digital payments company that he built from 2019 through 2024 before selling it. His experience operating fintech infrastructure in emerging markets with challenging regulatory environments, limited banking access, and currency volatility provides direct relevant expertise for ZAR's mission.

Sebastian Scholl serves as co-founder and brings technical and product development capabilities to the partnership. The founding team has attracted backing from prominent crypto industry figures who recognize the massive addressable market opportunity in emerging economies seeking alternatives to unstable local currencies and expensive remittance services.

Market Opportunity & Traction

ZAR is initially targeting emerging markets across Latin America, Asia, Africa, and other regions where local currencies experience significant volatility and populations have limited access to stable financial instruments. The platform is not focusing on the United States market where the dollar is stable and banking infrastructure is mature. Instead, the opportunity lies in countries where people actively seek access to dollars as a store of value but face barriers including currency controls, expensive exchange services, and lack of banking relationships.

The global stablecoin market has grown to approximately 238 billion dollars as of early 2025, with industry projections from institutions like Citigroup forecasting explosive growth to over 2 trillion dollars by 2030. This expansion is driven by increasing adoption for cross-border payments, remittances, inflation hedging, and DeFi participation. ZAR positions itself to capture a meaningful portion of this growth by solving the critical last-mile problem of converting cash into crypto in regions underserved by existing infrastructure.

Before public launch, ZAR has already demonstrated strong demand signals. Nearly 100,000 customers have joined the waitlist, indicating substantial interest from target users. Approximately 7,000 vendors have expressed interest in becoming ZAR cash-to-crypto exchange points, providing geographic coverage necessary for network effects. These pre-launch numbers suggest the platform addresses real pain points and market demand.

The mobile money agent network that ZAR leverages represents a massive existing distribution channel. With 28 million registered agents facilitating 1.5 trillion dollars in financial services annually, the infrastructure for cash-based services already exists at scale. ZAR simply adds cryptocurrency to the suite of services these agents can offer, creating incremental revenue opportunities for merchants while expanding crypto access for consumers.