BlockTower Launches Institutional Portal to Mint and Redeem ZARU Stablecoin

• BlockTower’s new Issuance Platform ditches the old email-based workflow, letting qualified institutions mint and redeem the rand-backed stablecoin ZARU directly. 
• Institutions mint by depositing rand with a unique reference and redeem by sending tokens to a burn address, with payouts going to a verified bank account.
• Minting and redemption are on the Solana blockchain, with support rollout for other stablecoins planned for Q4 2026.
• The launch follows ZARU’s addition of Absa as a second reserve bank and its debut on Circle’s Arc.

BlockTower, issuer of the South African rand-backed stablecoin ZARU, has announced the launch of the BlockTower Issuance Platform, an automated, self-service portal that lets qualified institutions mint and redeem ZARU directly.

BlockTower says the platform is designed for institutional clients that mint and redeem ZARU at volume and don’t need BlockTower’s wallet or custody infrastructure.

The issuance platform, which is now live, replaces BlockTower’s previous manual workflow, which required institutional clients to coordinate minting and burning operations via email.

How it Works

To mint ZARU, an onboarded institution deposits South African rand (ZAR) into their registered BlockTower account using a unique reference. Once the deposit is confirmed, ZARU is automatically minted directly into the client’s allowed-list wallet.

To redeem ZARU for fiat, the client sends tokens to a dedicated burn address. Once the receipt is verified on-chain, the corresponding Rand value is automatically remitted to the institution’s verified bank account. 

To maintain internal controls for institutional treasuries, the platform features role-based access management. Admins can initiate ZARU minting and redemption.

They can also manage users, bank accounts, and wallets. Agents can initiate token minting and redemption but cannot access or change organisational settings. Viewers get read-only access to position dashboards, transaction history, and account audit logs. 

Minting and redemption run on the Solana blockchain. BlockTower says it plans to support other stablecoins beyond ZARU in Q4 2026. 

Where This Fits

This is just the latest in a series of updates for ZARU in 2026. ZARU launched in February 2026. At the end of H1 2026, rand-backed stablecoins led by ZARU rose from 2% to 44% of crypto payment value within three years.

In early September, ZARU added Absa as a second reserve banking partner to strengthen its domestic liquidity and fiat settlement rails. It also went live on Circle’s Arc, a move that connects ZARU to broader international stablecoin settlement corridors.