The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has integrated the Angolan kwanza into its regional real-time gross settlement (RTGS) system. This expansion, managed by the South African Reserve Bank, marks the first new currency addition since the system’s 2013 launch. By enabling direct settlement in regional currencies, the initiative aims to reduce dependence on costly correspondent banking, lower transaction costs, and boost intra-African trade in alignment with AfCFTA objectives. Further expansions, including Botswana’s pula and Mozambique’s metical, are under consideration.