ZiG ON THE SPOT: RBZ tests public trust

Nqobile Bhebhe

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) is knocking on people’s doors to find out if Zimbabweans still have faith in the ZiG, more than a year after the gold-backed currency hit the streets.

Introduced on 5 April 2024, ZiG came with promises of stability and reforms. Back then, a baseline survey showed an eye-watering 80 percent acceptance rate. Now the central bank wants to know if that honeymoon is over.

“After more than one year since its introduction, the Reserve Bank is conducting a follow up perception and confidence survey on ZiG to establish its transactional worth (usage) and performance to date. The survey will run up to end of December 2025,” said the bank in a statement.

The study is grilling Zimbabweans with blunt questions: Have you used ZiG for real transactions since launch? Do you rate it more stable now than in January 2025? Are you keeping it longer in your bank account or cashing out as fast as possible?

Even confidence in the RBZ itself is on trial, with the survey asking: “What is your confidence level that the Reserve Bank will stay the course to ensure sustainability of ZiG?”

The check-up covers hard cash, bank cards and mobile money platforms, giving the bank a peek into how the currency is faring on the ground.

According to RBZ, perception surveys are “critical in measuring public confidence, stability, and adoption of the currency while guiding future monetary policy interventions.”

The ZiG was sold as a medium of exchange, a store of value and a unit of account. The survey will show if those promises are holding up—or if the shine has worn off.