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To use Shyft, you must be a permanent resident of South Africa (someone who holds a valid South African green identity document or identity card), a foreign national residing in South Africa, or a Botswana resident. You must be 18 years or older.

Shyft is available to both Standard Bank/Stanbic and non-Standard Bank/Stanbic customers who are permanent residents of South Africa or Botswana. However, foreign nationals residing in South Africa must hold an active Standard Bank account to sign up for Shyft. 

Do I need a Standard Bank/Stanbic account to sign up for Shyft?

There are three ways you can register for Shyft, all of which can be done via your mobile device, PC, or laptop—meaning you can register from anywhere, as long as you have a stable internet connection!

If mobile banking is your preference, you can download the Shyft app onto your mobile device and register from there.

If you prefer a larger format, then registering via the Shyft website using your PC or laptop may be the ideal choice for you.

For those who hold an active Standard Bank account and already has the Standard Bank app installed on their mobile device, you may find registering for Shyft using the Shyft add-on tile within the Standard Bank app to be the most convenient route.


If you need to update any of your personal details on your Shyft account, please contact Shyft Support via any of our support channels for assistance.

You can request all transactional statements, an account confirmation letter, a visa application letter, or an annual tax certificate from within the Shyft app.

What documents are available through Shyft?

If you ever need your Shyft account to be deactivated, please reach out to Shyft Support via any of our support channels.

The process is quick and easy—we will request some information from you for verification and to determine the reason for your request. Once your feedback is received, we will review accordingly and let you know once your request is complete.

If you would like to reactivate your Shyft account at a later stage, you are welcome to contact Shyft Support again to request this.

You may top up your Shyft account with ZAR/BWP by completing an electronic funds transfer from any local bank account to your Shyft local currency wallet.

To add Shyft as a beneficiary, you must use the banking details of your local currency wallet found in the app.

Please ensure to use your unique Shyft reference code as the beneficiary reference.  

SA residents can also use the “Pay by Card” option in the app by entering their bank card details, funds reflect immediately once successful.

Transfers from Standard Bank may take up to 30 minutes, while transfers from third-party banks can take up to 3 working days (or longer, depending on the remitting bank's processes). 

Top-ups using the “Pay by Card” option reflect immediately once the transaction is successful. 

You’ll receive an email and/or push notification (if enabled) once your funds have arrived and settled. These time frames assume all banking details and your unique Shyft reference code were correctly used. 

How long does it take for my funds to reflect?

If the funds are not reflecting in your Shyft wallet after the prescribed timeframe, please contact Support through any of our support channels with your proof of payment, and we will assist in tracing and allocating the funds to your Shyft wallet.

I have topped up my Shyft account, but the funds are not reflecting in my Shyft wallet.  What should I do?

Only South African-issued cards will be accepted for ZAR Wallet top-up.

Can I use my card to top up any currency wallet on Shyft?

All card top-up transactions must be made using South African-issued cheque, credit, or prepaid cards.

Which cards can I use to top-up my Shyft wallet?

Yes. Shyft charges a 2.5% fee on the transaction value. *Subject to change.

Will I be charged when I top-up using a card?

Shyft does not reverse top-up transactions to your card unless it can be confirmed that the transaction was unauthorized or you were incorrectly charged. If the funds have already been processed into your Shyft wallet, you can request a withdrawal from your Shyft wallet instead. Alternatively, you can contact our friendly support team through one of our support channels.

Can I reverse a top-up made with my cheque, credit or prepaid card?

You may request your withdrawal from within the Shyft app. You may only withdraw funds in your local currency, and withdrawals may only be processed to a local personal bank account in your own name.

Any funds held in your Shyft cards will need to be transferred from your card to your Shyft wallet, and any forex you wish to withdraw will need to be converted to your local currency before you can submit your withdrawal request.


Local currency withdrawal requests will be processed within 2 business days following the date of initiation.

This lead time is subject to there being no unforeseen requirements for additional information that we may need to process your withdrawal. If such a need arises, we will promptly contact you.

Yes, Shyft allows you to top up your account with any one of the four foreign currencies available from an offshore account, directly into your Shyft wallet.

Can I top-up my account with foreign currency?

You can transfer USD, GBP, EUR, and AUD directly into Shyft using the bank account specified in the "Top Up Wallet" section. If the sender transfers funds in a currency that differs from the destination account’s currency, the funds will be rejected and returned to the sender at the sender’s cost.

What currencies can I transfer into Shyft?

When topping up with foreign currency, please ensure you use the correct beneficiary details. This section must strictly contain the Shyft details as extracted from the app (Shyft CFC account name and the corresponding account number). Failure to capture these specific details may result in the payment being delayed or rejected.

What are the requirements for topping up my account with foreign currency?

Once the funds reach Shyft, we will process the payment into your Shyft wallet within two business days, provided that everything is in order. The time taken for the funds to reach Shyft will be determined by the remitting bank and/or their intermediary service provider.

How long will an incoming international payment take?

Shyft will only accept SWIFT payments using BIC code SBZAZAJJ.

Please send the proof of payment/MT103 to support@getshyft.co.za. Once we receive the MT103, our accounts team will investigate and proceed with the allocation if the funds have been received.  If funds have not yet been received and the proof of payment/MT103 has been sent, we may ask you to inquire with the remitting bank, as we cannot trace funds from third parties.


I topped up my Shyft account with foreign currency, but the funds are not reflecting. What should I do?

Yes you are able to move any of the available foreign currencies back to your ZAR Wallet.

Can I move foreign currency back to my ZAR Wallet?

As a South African, you're allowed up to R1 million for 'offshore activities' each calendar year without needing tax clearance.

This falls under your annual Single Discretionary Allowance (SDA), set by the South African Reserve Bank, available to all South African residents over 18 with a valid South African identity document. Your allowance applies to all of your 'offshore activities,' not just those facilitated through Shyft.

NB: On Shyft, your annual allowance is only affected when buying or selling foreign currency, not when sending funds abroad via an international payment to an offshore bank account.

Foreign nationals residing in South Africa may not buy foreign currency with funds that are brought into the country or are ring-fenced. You can only use funds you have received or earned in South Africa.

Additionally, you may only trade foreign currency during the period for which you have a valid work permit.

Your trading limit in Shyft is automatically calculated and set monthly, in accordance with the limits applicable to you.

As a foreign national what is my trading limit ?

Botswana nationals have an annual trading limit of P1 000 000, which may be subject to change.

What is the trading limit for Botswana users.

Once you reach the limit of your Single Discretionary Allowance within Shyft, you will be prohibited from purchasing any further forex for the rest of the calendar year, until your allowance resets on January 1st.

You will receive a notification on Shyft when you reach your limit.

For foreign nationals, if your work permit becomes invalid or expires, or if you reach your limit in terms of the amount of funds you can externalize, you will not be able to purchase any further foreign currency through Shyft. However, you can still use the foreign currency you have already purchased to make international payments and spend on your Shyft cards.

You can view your trading limit under the 'Account' section in the Shyft app.

How do I know if I have reached my trading limit through Shyft?

Your Repatriated Allowance is money you previously converted to foreign currency or money transferred into one of your foreign currency Shyft wallets as an incoming forex payment. Converting these funds back to ZAR in Shyft credits the Repatriated Allowance.

Your Repatriated Allowance is not linked to a calendar year and doesn't expire. It represents all the foreign currency you've brought back into Shyft and converted to ZAR. You can view your Repatriated allowance under the 'Account' section in the Shyft app.

All trades by both private and public sectors are tracked in the BOP (Balance of Payments) to monitor the movement of money in and out of the country. BOP reports are submitted to the South African Revenue Service and/or the Financial Intelligence Centre to inform them about any funds leaving the country and their purposes. For permanent South African residents with a valid ID, all Shyft transactions fall under BOP Category Code 511 04: Foreign investment by a resident individual not related to the investment allowance – Deposits with a foreign bank.

For foreign nationals, all Shyft transactions are reported under BOP Category Code 417: Foreign national contract worker remittances, excluding compensation.

What is BOP, BOP Category Code 511 04 and BOP Category Code 417?

The Shyft-to-Shyft feature allows you to pay another Shyft user in any currency, instantly.

Enjoy free Shyft-to-Shyft payments in any of the currencies available.

What does it cost to make a Shyft-to-Shyft payment?

To receive payments via the Shyft-to-Shyft payment method, you will need to ask the person who is paying you to add you as a beneficiary on their Shyft app.

They can do this by sending you an invitation or scanning your QR code. Once you accept the invitation, you’ll appear under their saved beneficiaries, and they can proceed to make a payment to you.

How do I get paid via the Shyft-to-Shyft payment method?

To pay someone using the Shyft-to-Shyft payment method, you need to add them as a beneficiary on your Shyft app.

You can do this by sending them an invitation or scanning their QR code. Once they accept the invitation, they will appear under your saved beneficiaries, and you can proceed to make a payment to them.

How do I pay someone using Shyft-to-Shyft payment method?

If you are experiencing any difficulties with making Shyft-to-Shyft payments, please contact Shyft Support via any of our support channels for assistance.

I am experiencing an issue with a Shyft-to-Shyft payment. How do I get help?

If you are a South African resident, you can receive foreign assets without prior written approval from the SARB. This is subject to local tax disclosure and compliance by both parties.

What are the exchange control implications for Shyft-to-Shyft payments?

You can make international payments in USD, GBP, EUR, and AUD from Shyft.

Which currency can I make an international payment in?

International transfers from Shyft are subject to per-transaction limits.

The maximum limits for payments to international bank accounts are as follows:

USD payments: USD 75,000.00

EUR payments: EUR 60,000.00

GBP payments: GBP 55,000.00

AUD payments: AUD 90,000.00

If you need to make a payment exceeding these limits, you may do so by splitting the amount across multiple transfers. These limits are outlined in our fees and limits schedule.


What are international payment transaction limits?

We will notify you via email once your payment has been sent. Please note that this does not confirm receipt of funds. If you need further assistance in determining the status of your transfer, please contact Shyft Support via any of our support channels for more information.

How will I know when my international payment has been sent?

The country in which the receiving bank is situated, together with the currency being sent, will determine what details are required to create your offshore beneficiary in Shyft.

For example, a USD transfer to the United States of America would require the use of Direct deposit banking details, which include an account number and a Direct deposit ABA routing code. Whereas, a USD transfer to Spain would require the use of an IBAN and BIC SWIFT code.

To determine the information required for your specific transfer, Please create your beneficiary within Shyft by following the beneficiary creation flow up to the point where you select the currency being sent and the country in which the beneficiary bank is situated.

You will then be prompted to submit specific information to create your beneficiary. Take note of the requested information, and you can request it from the beneficiary or the beneficiary bank.

Only the beneficiary or the beneficiary bank will be able to provide you with the necessary details to complete your transfer.

What information do I need to create a beneficiary for an international payment? 

It is possible to cancel a payment to a beneficiary depending on how far the payment has progressed. If the payment is in a sent or completed status, then we will not be able to cancel the payment.  Shyft will always endeavor to process your payment requests promptly, and so it's important to reach out to Shyft Support as soon as possible to query whether your payment is still eligible for cancellation.

Not all countries are supported for international transfers through Shyft.

If the country you want to select is not on the list, it is likely not available on Shyft, although we recommend that you contact Shyft Support for advice if you are unsure.

The country I want to send money to isn't appearing on the list when trying to create a beneficiary. Why?

As a guideline, we do not permit payments to beneficiaries for the following purposes:

Payments for gambling (paying gambling institutions)
Any purchases related to arms dealing
Adult entertainment of any kind
Purchasing of drugs/drug paraphernalia
Cryptocurrency (paying any beneficiary affiliated with cryptocurrency)

*This is subject to change.


From a Shyft perspective, we cannot confirm whether a beneficiary bank or its intermediary may apply a fee.

We always recommend checking with the beneficiary or the beneficiary bank regarding any potential transactional charges to ensure you are adequately informed before sending your payment.

If you pay in a currency that is not the local currency of the beneficiary’s bank, intermediary banks are likely to levy additional charges, and the receiving bank is likely to convert the payment to the local currency, making the received amount unpredictable in such cases. 

Does the beneficiary have to pay any fees?

Yes, you can. Shyft allows payments to preloaded Standard bank offshore beneficiaries such as Webtrader, Isle of man and Jersey. Simply select the relevant beneficiary when making your international payment.

Can I fund my Standard bank offshore investment accounts?

International payments to Standard bank Isle of man and Jersey can take up to 24 business hours and paymets to Webtrader can take up to 3-5 business days to reflect. If this time has passed and the funds are still not reflecting, please contact Shyft Support via any of our support channels for assistance.


My funds are not reflecting in my Standard bank offshore account, what should I do?

Shyft has the following preloaded partner beneficiaries available for payments: Coronation, Glacier International, IIN8, Liberty Global Direct, Old Mutual International, Prescient Fund Services, and STANLIB Investments.

What preloaded partner beneficiaries are available on Shyft?

A Shyft card is a pre-paid Mastercard that gets linked to your wallet and can be used when transacting either locally or abroad.

Shyft cards must be funded by topping them up with funds from your available wallet balance within Shyft. Once you have used the available funds on your card, you can top it up again.

Shyft currently offers a variety of physical and virtual cards to meet your needs.

The Shyft Physical Forex Card can be loaded with all four foreign currencies available through Shyft simultaneously: USD, GBP, AUD, and EUR. This card can be used for transactions at points of sale and ATMs with Mastercard-supported merchants abroad only.

The Shyft Physical ZAR Card can only be loaded with ZAR and used within the borders of South Africa (for South African residents only).

Shyft also offers Virtual Cards, which you can create instantly within your Shyft account at no cost. You will need a separate Virtual Card for each currency. Virtual cards may be used for online transactions only, unless used in conjunction with Apple Pay.

Yes! You may order and link up to three of each type of physical card offered through Shyft.

As Shyft cards are prepaid and can be funded individually, having multiple cards can be helpful for various reasons, such as if you are traveling with a minor to whom you would like to lend your card, or if you find yourself in a tricky situation where you have lost a card and need a backup!

South Africa: R100 per delivery.
Botswana: P250 per delivery.

You may order a maximum of three cards per card type.

These amounts are subject to change without notice and are for the delivery of your card order only.


How much does it cost to order a physical card?

If you're in one of South Africa's major metropolitan areas (Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Durban), you can expect your delivery within three to five business days. For those located elsewhere in South Africa, your delivery will typically arrive within six to ten business days.

Delivery in Botswana should also be completed within five business days.

We always strive to get your order to you as quickly as possible. To ensure a smooth experience, please place your order well ahead of any travel or departure dates. While we aim for prompt delivery, unforeseen circumstances may occasionally cause slight delays. Therefore, the lead times mentioned are approximate and may vary.


How long will it take to get my physical card?

When abroad, you may use your physical Shyft Forex card to withdraw cash from all MasterCard-supported ATMs, provided the ATM accepts prepaid Shyft cards.

In some instances, you may encounter ATMs that require a different number of PIN digits than your Shyft card uses (Shyft cards use a 5-digit PIN code, while some ATMs may only require a 4-digit PIN). If this occurs, we recommend trying another ATM brand.

We generally recommend using well-known ATMs from major brands rather than lesser-known privately operated ATMs, especially those found in tourist hotspots or less developed areas.

It's also important to note that when withdrawing cash in a country where the domestic currency differs from that on your card, the ATM may prompt you to accept a currency conversion. This conversion may incur a nominal fee in addition to standard withdrawal costs.

Which ATMs should I use to withdraw cash abroad?

The ability to "Disable" your Shyft card is a great security feature for situations where you need to secure your card instantly. This is especially helpful if you lose your physical card or suspect that your virtual card details have been compromised. You can access your card via your Shyft account and immediately disable it, rendering it unusable until you choose to "Enable" it again.

"Delete" refers to the permanent removal of your card from your Shyft account. Once your card is deleted, it cannot be enabled again and is considered permanently retired. This function can be used if your card expires or if you cannot locate your lost card and decide a replacement is needed.

NB: Always ensure you return any funds on your Shyft card back to your Shyft wallet before deleting your card.

What is the difference between disabling and deleting a Shyft card?

A Shyft virtual card is a digital version of a prepaid card that you can use for online purchases, similar to how you would use a physical debit card. It can be used locally and internationally.

Similar to a physical card, you will give your virtual card a name, and it comes with a card number and expiration date. Shyft virtual cards use OTP (one-time-pin) authentication, which is sent to you via email before completing online transactions. This makes it a convenient and secure option for shopping on the internet, as you don't need to carry a physical card and can easily manage your spending by loading only the amount you need onto the card.

Shyft virtual cards are currency-specific, meaning you will need a unique card for each currency you wish to transact in: USD 🇺🇸, GBP 🇬🇧, EUR 🇪🇺, AUD 🇦🇺, and ZAR 🇿🇦 (ZAR is for South African users only).

An exciting feature of Shyft foreign currency virtual cards is that they are all compatible with Apple Pay.

Shyft virtual ZAR cards may be used for online transactions within South Africa only.

Shyft foreign currency virtual cards may be used for online transactions with offshore merchants only. They can also be used at points of sale when used with Apple Pay.

Shyft virtual cards do not use a preset 3D Secure code. However, if you are transacting on a 3D Secure merchant site, you should be prompted to insert an OTP (One-Time Pin) code.

You will receive the OTP code via notification and email. Please note that the OTP will only work with virtual cards for online transactions and is not applicable to physical cards or point-of-sale transactions.

Does the virtual card work with 3D Secure sites?

Apple Pay is a mobile payment and digital wallet service that works with various Apple devices. You can make secure contactless purchases, use it in-app and on the web. It’s a safer way to pay, and as simple as using your physical and virtual card.

- The latest version of The Shyft app
- A compatible Apple device
- A valid and eligible Shyft Physical or Shyft Virtual card

iPhone:
iPhone models with Face ID
iPhone models with Touch ID, except for iPhone 5s

Apple Watch:
Apple Watch Series 1 and later
Apple Watch (1st generation)

Mac:
Mac models with Touch ID
Mac models introduced in 2012 or later with an Apple Pay-enabled iPhone or Apple Watch

iPad:
iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad, and iPad mini models with Touch ID or Face ID.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     To check if your device is compatible and learn more about using Apple Pay, please visit apple.com/apple-pay.

Which devices are compatible with Apple Pay?

All Shyft cards are compatible with Apple Pay.

Which cards are compatible with Apple Pay?

Can I reactivate my deleted cards on Apple Pay if I recover my lost device?

Can I link a card again on Apple Pay if I deleted it once?

Can I have more than one compatible device set up to use Apple Pay?

The reason is that you can still add your Shyft card to another device, like your Apple Watch. You can add your card to 10 devices.



Why does the Shyft app show I can add my card when I’ve already added it with Apple Wallet?

You can add up to eight (8) cards on a single device.

How many cards can I add to a single device?

Yes, you can easily view the last ten (10) transactions by tapping your card and clicking on the transaction button. However, if you need a detailed transaction statement, please log in to the Shyft app and access it there.

Will I get a notification for declined transactions?

Yes. However, it is important to note that each iPhone can only be paired with a single Apple Watch at a time.

With supported devices, you can use Apple Pay to make in-store payments wherever contactless payments are accepted. Simply look for the contactless symbol or the Apple Pay symbol at the checkout. Apple Pay uses contactless technology, any retailer that accepts contactless cards will also be able to accept Apple Pay.

Additionally, you can use Apple Pay within participating merchant apps and websites. When checking out, look for buttons like "Buy with Apple Pay" or "Apple Pay." To see which merchants accept in-app payments, visit apple.com/apple-pay.

For transactions in South Africa, please ensure that you use your ZAR Physical or Virtual card. For international transactions, use your Forex Physical or Virtual card.

To ensure your card's security in Apple Pay, it's protected by Touch ID or your device's passcode. Each time you make a purchase, you'll need to authenticate with either method for added protection.

Rest assured that all your payment details are encrypted and stored in the Secure Element, a dedicated chip within your device, keeping your information safe.

If you suspect that your device or Apple Pay Card information has been lost, stolen, or compromised in any way, it is important to take immediate action. Here are the steps you can follow:


For iPhone or iPad users, you can utilise the Find My iPhone app to temporarily suspend or permanently remove the ability to make payments from your device, even if it is offline. To do this, open the Find My iPhone app and choose the option to suspend your card(s). If you decide to suspend your card(s) using Find My iPhone, you can reactivate them simply by unlocking your device and entering your Apple ID passcode when prompted. If you have any other supported Apple device, you can also visit icloud.com/settings, select the relevant device, and delete your card(s) from there.

Alternatively, if you have access to the Shyft app, you can immediately return the funds to your wallet and disable the card in Manage Cards.

If you suspect that fraudulent transactions have occurred with your lost or stolen card, it is crucial to contact support immediately on support@getshyft.co.za and provide all the relevant details of the fraudulent transactions for further assistance and investigation.

My device is lost or was stolen and I want to delete my card. What should I do?

Apple Pay will only include your last ten (10) transactions. For all official statement information, please refer to the Shyft app. If you suspect that there has been fraudulent activity on your account, please contact support@getshyft.co.za immediately.

Why is the information shown in Apple Pay different from my Shyft statement?

Yes, please update your card details on Apple Pay with the new information.

If I receive a replacement card, do I need to update my card information with Apple Pay?

You can easily delete a card from Apple Pay. Please note that deleting a card will only remove the payment information, including the digital card number (token) from the device. Your physical card will remain active.
To remove a card from Apple Pay, follow these steps:
1. Select the card in Wallet or in the Apple Watch app
2. Click on the ⓘ icon in the bottom corner to view the back of the card.
3. Scroll to the bottom to find the ‘remove card’ option.

After deleting, you can re-add this card to Apple Pay at any time.

The card details shown on the receipt provided by a merchant will contain the last four digits of your device account number rather than your physical card number. You can find your device account number on the card details screen in your Apple Wallet.

Why doesn't the card number on the merchant’s receipt match my physical card number?

There are a number of possible reasons why the transaction could be declining even though the digital card still appears in the Apple wallet, these include:

1. Your card has been temporarily blocked.
2. Your card has insufficient funds, please ensure that your card is topped up
3. An incorrect card PIN has been entered at the terminal when prompted.
4. The terminal does not support contactless payments.
5. Fraud is suspected on your account

Please contact us at support@getshyft.co.za for assistance.

Why was my transaction declined after I loaded Apple Pay?

Sometimes, when using Apple Pay for in-store transactions that exceed the contactless limit*, you might need to enter your physical card PIN at the merchant terminal.

Do I need to use my card PIN with Apple Pay?

Select the Forgot Password tab below the login field on the app's login screen. We will send you an email with a link to reset your password to the email address you used to register. This will also assist with unlocking your account due to multiple incorrect attempts.

What should I do if I have forgotten my password? 

You should change your password if you suspect that someone might have gained access to it. You can reset it in the menu section of the app, in the top right corner select "Security".

This can be activated in the menu tab in the top right corner of the app. Select "Security" then enable the Biometric login to activate it.

We have implemented device linking as a security enhancement for your Shyft account. This feature allows you to link your account to a specific device, adding an extra layer of protection. To link your account, simply answer a security question correctly, take a selfie, and you're all set! This helps ensure that only you can access your account from your chosen device, giving you greater peace of mind.

Each device can have one Shyft profile linked to it.

How many profiles can I link to one device?

Multiple devices can be linked to one profile as long as the security questions are answered correctly.  

How many devices can I link my profile to?

You can order a new card through the app. Currently, we do not offer international deliveries, so you will need to have the new card sent to someone back home who can then courier it to you. Once you've ordered the card, please contact support on support@getshyft.co.za for further assistance.                                      
If your card is lost or you suspect it has been stolen, you can disable or delete it in the app. If you later find the card, you can simply re-enable it.

In case of any fraudulent transactions, please contact support immediately and provide details of the suspicious activity.

What if my card is lost or stolen while I’m travelling?

You can login to Shyft directly from the website if you need to access your account or change your password. Alternatively you can contact Shyft support on support@getshyft.co.za to further assist. 

Shyft Shares is a feature on Shyft that allows you to buy and sell blue-chip stocks.

Anyone who has an active Shyft account and who is over the age of 18 can buy shares on Shyft. Unfortunately, Shyft Shares is unavailable for users who are residents of or have indicators in the United States of America. Botswana nationals are not eligible to purchase shares on the South African stock market (JSE).

Shyft offers shares and ETFs listed on the Johannesburg Stock exchange (JSE), Nasdaq, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the London Stock Exchange (LSE) as well as the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (the DAX is a stock market index consisting of the 40 major German blue chip companies trading on the FSE).

You will need an active Shyft profile and a registered tax number to buy shares.

The Stock Markets operates on business days. Orders can be placed at any time, regardless of operating hours - all orders will be executed once the markets reopens.

JSE (ZAR) 09:00 - 17:00
NASDAQ & NYSE (USD) 15:30 - 22:00 
LSE (GBP) 09:00 - 17:30 
FSE (EUR) 09:00 - 17:30 

* Times quoted in Central African Time (CAT)
* All times are subject to daylight savings

Yes, you can! Your order will remain pending until the market reopens. Prices displayed when the markets are closed are projections. Pending shares will be processed at the market-open price.

Can I buy shares outside of market operating hours?

A corporate action is an event carried out by a company that will materially impact its stakeholders. There are many types of corporate actions, including the payment of dividends, stock splits, tender offers, and mergers and acquisitions. You will receive a notification if a corporate action has been issued on one of your shares.

Your portfolio view aggregates the price movements of all the shares you own, therefore showing you how your portfolio has performed.

An exchange traded fund (ETF) is a type of fund that holds multiple shares. ETFs are considered to be a 'basket' of shares and usually track an underlying index.

Bond ETFs are a basket of various bonds which seek to emulate an underlying bond index.

What is the difference between ETFs and bond ETFs?

No, as per the pricing delay, the prices shown are delayed by 15 minutes.


Are the share prices displayed on the app live?

No, Shyft does not provide investment advisory services. Please consult a registered financial advisor for guidance on which shares to invest in.

Does Shyft advise which shares I should buy?

No, Shyft does not allow for trading on margin or using leverage.

Does Shyft allow users to trade on margin or using leverage?

No, Shyft does not yet allow for notifications regarding share price movements.

Can I set up price movement notifications on Shyft?

These are market indicators and provide insight into the performance of the related index. For example, the NASDAQ 100 indicator reflects how the index has moved over the course of the day.

What do the indicators on the shares map (Globalview) represent?

What time period do these indicators represent?

There are a wide variety of risks involved in share trading. These include and are not limited to liquidity risk, foreign exchange risk, economic risk and volatility risk, including risk of loss of capital amount(s) invested due to market fluctuations. Investors should be cognisant of such risks in their investment decisions and when trading shares. Please contact your financial advisor if you wish to learn more about these risks.

What risks do I need to know about when trading shares?

The Shyft platform does not offer cryptocurrencies. However, certain listed companies that you can invest in have cryptocurrency exposure themselves.

Does Shyft allow me to trade cryptocurrency?

All securities will be heldin safe custody within a segregrated nominee appointed by Standard Bank of South Africa.

Shares can only be purchased from your USD, GBP and EUR wallets, so be sure to keep them topped up.

Which currency is required for the purchase of shares/stocks?

At this stage, we only offer whole shares.

Please consider the transaction fee and market movement buffer when purchasing shares. Should the total cost (share price, market movement buffer and transaction fee) exceed your wallet balance, you must either top up your relevant wallet or reduce the number of shares you're trying to purchase.

Why do I need to reduce the number of shares I want to buy if I have enough funds?

There is a 15-minute pricing delay as Shyft receives market information from Bloomberg. This is standard practice among retail trading platforms.

Shyft charges a monthly safe custody fee for maintaining and looking after your shares, which is chargeable on the market value of your investments. The fee automatically deducts from your relevant currency wallet, which may become a negative balance if insufficient funds are available. This is then offset against your next deposit or when you sell your shares.

You can only cancel an order if it was placed outside of market hours or if it is still in a "pending" state (i.e., not yet executed or expired). Cancelling your order is free of charge, and the funds will be returned to your wallet at no extra cost.

The reason your wallet balance may be negative is due to safe custody fees. Shyft charges a monthly safe custody fee for maintaining and looking after your shares, which is chargeable on the market value of your investments. The fee automatically deducts from your wallet, which may become a negative balance if insufficient funds are available. It is then offset against your next deposit or when you sell your shares. Please refer to “Shyft Shares costs” for more information.

Limit order is an order to buy or sell a stock at a specific price or better. A buy limit order can only be executed at the limit price or lower, and a sell limit order can only be executed at the limit price or higher.

A limit order is not guaranteed to execute. A limit order can only be filled if the stock’s market price reaches the limit price. While limit orders do not guarantee execution, they help ensure that an investor does not pay more than a predetermined price for a stock.


Buy limit orders are instructions from traders to purchase an asset at a specified price or better, but only if the market price reaches that level. When price gaps occur above the market price, buy limit orders may not be executed immediately if the asset's price jumps to a level beyond the specified limit.

This function allows you to define the price at which a share will be bought. The share/s will be bought when its "Buy At" price is equal to or below the one you have specified.

Example:
Share A is now trading at R10.00 but you anticipate that the price might drop to R9.50 at which point you would be prepared to buy the share. You would set R9.50 as your limit order and the transaction would only execute once the share reaches that price.

NB: Limit orders are a sophisticated way of entering the market at a logical desired price point. In the case where an unrealistic limit order is set, there is no guarantee that the price will be reached at any given time, triggering your order.

Sell limit orders are instructions from traders to sell an asset at a specified price or better, but only if the market price reaches that level. When price gaps occur above the market price, Sell limit orders may not be executed immediately if the asset's price jumps to a level beyond the specified limit.

This function allows you to define the price at which a share will be sold. The share/s will be sold when its "Sell At" price is equal to or above the one you have specified.

Example:
Share A is now trading at R9.50 but you anticipate that the price might rise to R10.00 at which point you would be prepared to sell the share. You would set R10,00 as your limit order and the transaction would only execute once the share reaches that price.

NB: Limit orders are a sophisticated way of entering the market at a logical desired price point. In the case where an unrealistic limit order is set, there is no guarantee that the price will be reached at any given time, triggering your order.

A stop-limit order is a conditional trading order that allows you to buy or sell an asset at a specific price range. It uses a stop price which is the trigger to activate the limit order and then a limit price which is the price at which the order will be executed at or better.  

In a Buy stop-limit order the stop price is set above the current market price, once the stop price is reached, a limit order is placed to buy at the limit price or lower. 

Example:
Share A is now trading at R50.00 and you want to buy if the price rises to R55.00 (trigger point), but don't want to buy for more than R57.00 (maximum price you want to buy for). 

NB: Stop-Limit orders are a sophisticated way of entering the market at a logical desired price point. In the case where an unrealistic stop-limit order is set, there is no guarantee that the price will be reached at any given time, triggering your order.

In a Sell stop-limit order the stop price is set below the current market price, once the stop price is reached, a limit order is placed to sell at the limit price or higher. 

Example:
Share A is now trading at R50.00 and you want to sell if the price falls to R45.00 (trigger point), but don't want to sell for less than R43.00 (minimum price you want to sell for). 

NB: Stop-limit orders are a sophisticated way of entering the market at a logical desired price point. In the case where an unrealistic stop-limit order is set, there is no guarantee that the price will be reached at any given time, triggering your order.

Fees are charged at a minimum of 0,4% (excl. VAT), with a minimum transaction fee, depending on the currency of the stock purchased:

**Onshore** 
JSE Trading fees: Fees are charged at 0.4% (excl. VAT), with a minimum transaction fee of R20 (incl. VAT). 

Safe custody fees: Shyft charges an annual safe custody fee of 0.12% of your portfolio value, deducted monthly for maintaining and looking after your shares. The fee is automatically deducted from your ZAR wallet, which may go into a negative balance if insufficient funds are available. This is offset against your next deposit or when you sell your shares.

**Offshore**
USD Trading fees: Fees are charged at 0.4% (excl. VAT), with a minimum transaction fee of $1.99 (incl. VAT).

GBP Trading fees: Fees are charged at 0.4% (excl. VAT), with a minimum transaction fee of £2.49 (incl. VAT).

EUR Trading fees: Fees are charged at 0.4% (excl. VAT), with a minimum transaction fee of €2.49 (incl. VAT).

Safe custody fees: Shyft charges a monthly safe custody fee of 0.2% annually for maintaining and looking after your shares. The fee is automatically deducted from your USD/GBP/EUR wallet, which may go into a negative balance
 if insufficient funds are available. This is offset against your next deposit or when you sell your shares.

VAT: New legislation in respect of VAT has been put into effect. Services rendered on offshore equities to a resident (which were previously zero-rated) will now be subject to VAT at the current prevailing rate of 15%.

In terms of the 2017 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on 25 October 2017, the Value-Added Tax Act No.89 of 1991 (the “Act”) was amended to specifically exclude debt securities, equity securities or participatory securities from the zero-rating provisions of Section 11(2)(g)(i) of the Act. As of 1 April 2018, services rendered to a resident of the Republic of South Africa on debt securities, equity securities or participatory securities situated in any export country will be subject to VAT.

Please note that VAT will be levied on ALL applicable fees and charges effective 1 April 2018.

What are the costs of buying and selling shares on the Shyft app?

Share prices displayed on the app are delayed by up to 15 minutes. To account for this pricing delay, when you purchase a share, we apply a relative amount (market movement buffer) to the total transaction cost. Once the order is executed, all remaining funds in the market movement buffer will be returned to your wallet immediately.

Taxes and fees may also occur on corporate actions in addition to those that apply to cash dividends, such as fees on a stock dividend or tax on a merger. When such taxes and fees occur, Standard Bank will debit your trading portfolio or wallet accordingly.

Not every corporate action will incur a fee. Whether or not a fee is applied is dependent on the instrument with which the corporate action is associated.

Shyft will provide the necessary IT3(b) and IT3(c) documents, which outline all your investments and associated investment income over the tax period. As a Shyft customer, you will be liable for the following:

US dividends tax:
The Dividend Withholding tax rate levied on dividends paid in other jurisdictions may vary. For example if you earn dividends on any stocks held in the USA, 30% will generally be withheld from that income. South Africa has double taxation agreements in place with certain countries which could reduce the amount of withholding taxes payable. Therefore, in certain circumstances, you may be able to reclaim some taxes that you paid on these dividends. Note that Standard Bank currently does not offer this type of tax reclaim service in-house but we can refer you to an internationally recognised tax reclaim service that can assist you. Contact the call centre for further details in this regard.

Capital gains tax:
This is generally the tax on the difference between the price a share was purchased for and the amount for which it was sold.

VAT:
New legislation in respect of VAT has been put into effect. Services rendered on offshore equities to a resident (which were previously zero-rated) will now be subject to VAT at the current prevailing rate of 15%.

In terms of the 2017 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on 25 October 2017, the Value-Added Tax Act No.89 of 1991 (the “Act”) was amended to specifically exclude debt securities, equity securities or participatory securities from the zero-rating provisions of Section 11(2)(g)(i) of the Act. As of 1 April 2018, services rendered to a resident of the Republic of South Africa on debt securities, equity securities or participatory securities situated in any export country will be subject to VAT.

Please note that VAT will be levied on ALL applicable fees and charges effective 1 April 2018.

Should you need further information regarding tax implications, please contact your broker or a registered tax advisor.


The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the United States tax agency, requires a W-8BEN form for reporting purposes. It is required as you are trading in American-based shares. Shyft submits this information on your behalf.

Why do I need to submit my tax information?

The W-8BEN form is a reporting requirement that has been set forth by the Internal Revenue Service, the US Federal Tax Institution. This form is to be completed by foreign nationals to the US who have ownership in American-based businesses.

South African individual investors, who are South African resident taxpayers only, trading on Shyft, may be subject to estate taxes (or an equivalent type of tax) in the jurisdiction where those assets are located or sourced. To find more information about estate taxes on offshore assets, please refer to Webtrader's website by copying and pasting this link into your browser: [https://webtrader.standardbank.co.za/webtrader/downloads/Situs%20Tax%20Memo%20April%202016.pdf](https://webtrader.standardbank.co.za/webtrader/downloads/Situs%20Tax%20Memo%20April%202016.pdf)

(Please note Shyft, a product of Standard Bank, is affiliated with WebTrader.)


How are your estate taxes affected by Shyft?