The informal currency market in Cuba begins this Saturday with no significant changes in the main currencies, in a day marked by an apparent calm in the exchange rate that contrasts with the increasing political and geopolitical pressure on the Cuban regime.
According to data published by the independent observatory elTOQUE, the U.S. dollar (USD) remains at 490 Cuban pesos (CUP), while the euro (EUR) maintains its rate of 530 CUP, solidifying its status as the strongest currency in the informal market.
The freely convertible currency (MLC) shows a slight recovery and is priced at 410 CUP, two pesos more than the previous day.
Informal exchange rate in Cuba Saturday, January 24, 2026 - 05:22
Exchange Rate Evolution
- Exchange rate of the dollar (USD) to Cuban pesos CUP: 490 CUP
- Exchange rate of the euro (EUR) to Cuban pesos CUP: 530 CUP
- Exchange rate of (MLC) to Cuban pesos CUP: 410 CUP
Today's stability occurs in an increasingly tense international context for Havana.
This week, the American media outlet POLITICO revealed that President Donald Trump's administration is considering new measures of pressure against the Cuban regime, including the possibility of that sustain the country, a discussion that has the support of hardline sectors within the United States government.
Although these are still internal debates and not an implemented policy, the mere possibility of increased energy isolation heightens economic uncertainty on the island, especially at a time when the Cuban electrical system is on the verge of collapse and the dependence on external suppliers remains critical.
For now, the informal market appears to have absorbed the initial impact of this news, keeping the values of the dollar and the euro unchanged.
However, economists warn that this calm could be temporary. In Cuba, each geopolitical upheaval usually translates—sooner rather than later—into new pressures on the peso, a currency that continues to weaken in the face of distrust, scarcity, and an increasingly adverse international environment for the regime.
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