Foreign Exchange for the Travel Industry

Foreign exchange,
refined for travel.

Xylos moves money into and out of South Africa for international airlines and the finest names in African travel: industry-leading rates, one transparent fee, and every Reserve Bank requirement handled for you.

Xy·los / ˈzai·los / noun
from the Greek xylon: wood, the oldest currency of trade. At Xylos: the craft of moving money between South Africa and the world, for those who move the world.
Powered byFuture Forex Platform approved by theSouth African Reserve Bank Future Forex authorised FSPNo. 51884 CompliantFICA & POPIA

Who We Serve

Built for the business of travel.

Behind every route flown and every safari booked, money crosses borders. We make sure none of it is lost to spreads, fees or paperwork.

International Airlines

Repatriate ticket revenues to head office and settle local suppliers, from ground handling and fuel to catering and crew, with every rand movement reported correctly.

Lodges & Camps

Guest deposits and settlements in dollars, euros or pounds, converted to rand at rates your bank won't show you.

Operators & DMCs

Multi-currency receipts, regional supplier payouts and guest refunds. One platform, one dedicated specialist.

Private Clients

Paying for extraordinary travel, or moving your allowances abroad, guided end to end by a named specialist.

How Money Moves

Four steps. Both directions.

Inflows →
Payer abroad
Guest, agent or airline head office
Xylos locks your rate
One all-inclusive fee, quoted upfront
Authorised Dealer
SARB reporting filed for you
Rand settled
To your South African account
Outflows →
You, in South Africa
Invoice or allowance in hand
Xylos locks your rate
Approvals prepared at no extra cost
Authorised Dealer
Exchange control cleared
Paid abroad
Head office, supplier or investment
Minutes
Not days, to transact
One
All-inclusive fee. Nothing hidden.
4.9★
Platform rating on Google
24/7
Visibility, from any device

The Xylos Standard

Transparent to the last cent.

The rate you see is the rate you get.

Banks earn on foreign exchange inside the spread. We quote one clear, all-inclusive price against the interbank rate before you commit. It is industry-leading, and yours to compare line for line against any bank quote.

Private-client service, not a call centre.

Every Xylos client, whether an airline's regional office or a two-tent camp, is served by a named specialist who knows the travel industry, understands seasonality, and answers when it matters.

Leadership

Run by people who have run travel.

Xylos is led by Chief Executive Officer Scholtz Fourie, former Group CFO of Tourvest, South Africa's foremost travel management group. The venture is powered by Future Forex, the award-winning platform on which every Xylos transaction runs.

Questions

Asked, answered.

Is Xylos regulated?
Xylos does not hold any financial services licences itself; it is powered by Future Forex. Transactions facilitated through Xylos are executed on the Future Forex platform by Future Forex SA (Pty) Ltd, an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP No. 51884) approved by the South African Reserve Bank to transact as a Foreign Exchange Intermediary, working with Authorised Dealers. Full details are on our Compliance page.
We're an international airline. Can you handle our South African flows?
Yes. Ticket revenues earned in rand can be repatriated to your head office at transparent, industry-leading rates, and local obligations such as ground handling, fuel, catering and crew accommodation settled from abroad, each with the correct balance-of-payments reporting and documentation packaged for the authorised dealer. Recurring settlement schedules are handled by your dedicated account manager.
How are you cheaper than my bank?
Banks typically earn on foreign exchange through the spread, a margin built invisibly into the rate, plus assorted processing fees. We quote one all-inclusive fee against the interbank rate, agreed before you transact. Because pricing is explicit, you can compare it against any bank quote, line for line.
We're a lodge that invoices in dollars. Can you handle our inflows?
Yes. Inbound receipts are the heart of what we do for the safari industry. International guest deposits, agent settlements and trade receipts are converted at transparent rates and reported correctly to the Reserve Bank on your behalf, with the paperwork handled by your account manager.
What about SARB approvals and tax clearances?
Where a transfer requires SARS tax compliance status or Reserve Bank approval, for example an individual's transfers beyond the R1 million single discretionary allowance, which require an Approval for International Transfer (AIT), we prepare and manage the application for you at no additional cost.
How fast do funds move?
Once you're onboarded and your documentation is in order, transacting takes minutes, not days. Quotes are locked in real time and transfers executed through authorised dealers. Your account and its history are visible 24/7 from any device.
What does it cost to get started?
Nothing. There is no cost to onboard and no subscription. You pay only the single all-inclusive fee on each transaction, quoted and agreed before you commit.
Is my money safe?
Yes. Xylos is powered by Future Forex, an award-winning South African financial technology company and authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP No. 51884), approved by the South African Reserve Bank to transact as a Foreign Exchange Intermediary. Future Forex is the holder of these licences; Xylos holds no licences of its own and operates under an exclusive licence from Future Forex for the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Funds move through Authorised Dealers, which are regulated South African banks, and never through informal channels. Licensed institutions hold and move the money, and every transaction carries a full audit trail.
Do we need to change banks?
No. Xylos works alongside your existing banking. Funds settle to and from the accounts you already hold. You simply stop paying your bank's foreign-exchange spread.
How do we get started?
With a conversation. A specialist maps your flows, you complete FICA verification once on the secure platform, and from then on moving money is a call or a click. Most clients are ready to transact within days of first contact, depending on documentation.
Who is behind Xylos?
Xylos is led by former Tourvest Group CFO Scholtz Fourie as Chief Executive Officer. It is powered by Future Forex, the award-winning platform from which Xylos holds an exclusive licence for the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Read more on our About page.

Begin

Your money deserves the same care as your guests.

A short conversation with a specialist is all it takes to see what you've been paying, and what you could be saving.

Powered by Future Forex
4.9★
Rated on Google
Award-winning
South African fintech
FSP 51884
Authorised Financial Services Provider
SARB
Approved Foreign Exchange Intermediary