The informal currency market in Cuba starts this Friday with a piece of information that is no longer just a temporary situation but is becoming a trend: the US dollar remains at 500 Cuban pesos (CUP) for the fourth consecutive day.
The greenback consolidates the historic record achieved this week and sets a new floor in the parallel exchange rate, leaving the question open as to whether it has come to stay or if it is just a temporary spike.
According to the data published by the independent observatory elTOQUE, the euro (EUR) also holds its recent high at 560 CUP, while the Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) decreases by five pesos, settling at 400 CUP, after fluctuating between 405 and 410 in previous days.
Informal exchange rate in Cuba Friday, February 13, 2026 - 05:24
Exchange Rate Evolution
- Exchange rate of the dollar (USD) to Cuban pesos CUP: 500 CUP
- Exchange rate of the euro (EUR) to Cuban pesos CUP: 560 CUP
- Exchange rate of (MLC) to Cuban pesos CUP: 400 CUP
The key element of the day is not the daily variation —which is practically nonexistent today— but the stability at historically high levels.
The dollar not only managed to surpass the psychological barrier of 500 CUP at the beginning of the week, but it has also managed to maintain that value without significant corrections, indicating that the market has internalized the new threshold as a reference.
The euro, for its part, confirms its role as the strongest currency in the Cuban informal market. Its exchange rate at 560 CUP broadens the gap against the dollar and reflects a sustained demand that has been building over the past few weeks.
This behavior occurs in a context marked by the ongoing energy crisis, inflation, and a lack of liquidity in foreign currency.
Although the Central Bank of Cuba has accelerated the adjustments to its so-called "floating rate" in recent days, the gap with the informal market remains significant, which limits the real impact of the official exchange rate policy.
Unlike previous episodes of abrupt volatility, the current scenario shows no signs of panic, but rather of structural consolidation. The market does not correct, does not pull back, and does not react with extreme fluctuations; it simply stabilizes at a higher level.
In practice, the record ceases to be a specific news item and instead becomes the standard. With the dollar pegged at 500 CUP and the euro at 560, the Cuban peso confirms a sustained deterioration that continues to impact the cost of living and the purchasing power of millions of Cubans.
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