Standard Bank

Many South African families are only one emergency away from financial trouble. With the rising cost of food, fuel and electricity, even a small, unexpected expense like a burst geyser or medical bill can push a household into debt. Despite this, most people still don’t have money saved for a rainy day, and without a …

In many South African households, it’s often women who make the toughest financial sacrifices – from managing groceries on a tight budget to stretching their salaries to cover an extra birthday gift or a small upgrade to the family home. But data from Standard Bank Insurance and Fiduciary reveals that these efforts go even deeper. …

By Philip Myburgh, Group Head of Trade: Business and Commercial Banking, Standard Bank Group: When most people think of Africa-China trade, their minds jump to Beijing, Shanghai or Shenzhen. However, one of the biggest drivers of this relationship is not a coastal megacity, it is a landlocked province you have likely never heard of before. …

More South African women are financing their new homes, and more are doing it on their own. Standard Bank’s Home Loans data shows that women have consistently made up 70% of all home loan clients in the past ten years, whether as joint or sole applicants. But in a noteworthy shift, nearly 40% of all …

Despite meaningful progress in women’s participation in the economy, many women-led businesses across South Africa still face persistent challenges, from limited access to markets and networks to barriers in securing funding and digital tools. These realities were brought into sharp focus at the Women Trade Intervention Dialogue, held on Friday, 1 August 2025 at the …

The 25-basis point interest rate cut by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) was largely expected, given the prevailing low inflation and muted economic growth in the first quarter of 2025. South Africa’s GDP grew by only 0.1% in the first quarter, while inflation remained at the lower end of the SARB’s target range, at …

By Louis van Ravesteyn, Head of Agribusiness: Business and Commercial Banking, Standard Bank Group: Johannesburg, South Africa, 28 July 2025 – A soybean harvested in Mpumalanga today moves through a value chain more structured than it was a decade ago. It travels from farm to storage through coordinated channels, often under the oversight of commercial …

The Women in Business Awards, celebrates female entrepreneurial excellence with a R500 000 grand prize. Standard Bank is proud to announce its continued partnership with the South African Future Trust as the official sponsor of the Women in Business Award for the second consecutive year. This prestigious recognition celebrates the extraordinary achievements of female entrepreneurs …

The growing awareness of South Africa’s social challenges, from limited access to health care and quality education to water and food insecurity, is making the country’s wealthiest rethink the idea of legacy. Philanthropic giving in South Africa is shifting from once‑off generosity to structured, strategic and often anonymous efforts to drive long‑term transformation. Nokuzola Cossie, …

For decades, millions of South Africans have lived in homes they don’t legally own, even though they’ve raised families there, repaired leaking roofs, and painted the walls year after year. These are homes filled with memories but lacking one vital thing: a title deed. That could change for 1,000 families in the foreseeable future. Through …

Trusts have become a buzzword in many social conversations – from YouTubers telling viewers to “buy every asset under a trust” to detractors calling them costly tools reserved for the rich. In an age of easily accessible advice, it can be difficult to decipher whether a trust is a practical tool or an emotional decision. …

Africa’s biggest lender, Standard Bank, has launched the first-ever Shari’ah-compliant overdraft facility in Southern Africa, marking a transformative milestone for Islamic Finance on the continent. Designed to empower business owners with more Shari’ah-compliant solutions, the product adds to a long list of Standard Bank’s innovative solutions to meet the unique needs of Africa’s growing demand …

Standard Bank has published its inaugural Youth Barometer Report, exploring how South Africans aged 18 to 35 are managing their finances amid rising costs and economic uncertainty. Harnessing valuable insights and data from Standard Bank’s Personal and Private Banking and Liberty, it reveals a financially stretched but resilient generation making intentional, pragmatic decisions. “Our research …

Gold prices have surged nearly 28% since the start of 2025, with investors in gold indices seeing similar gains – the S&P GSCI Gold Index is up almost 26% year-to-date. In a year marked by heightened volatility, fuelled by escalating global trade tensions and the unravelling of the post-Bretton Woods consensus after 79 years, it’s …

In a business climate that is constantly shifting, the value of trusted business models and strong networks has never been more apparent. This was the underlying tone at the Standard Bank Franchise Networking Summit held in Kwa-Zulu Natal this week, where entrepreneurs, franchisees, franchisors, industry experts and the bank’s franchise sector specialists came together to …

When many young South Africans enter the job market, they do so with more than their own dreams in tow. Their families have often made significant sacrifices to get them there, with the unspoken expectation that, once employed, they’ll help uplift the household financially. For these young professionals, supporting family isn’t a burden, it’s a …