This Friday, the informal currency market in Cuba awakens with a new development: the dollar is rising in price again, slightly, but it is rising.
In recent hours, the US dollar has regained its record value of 508 CUP, which it reached earlier this week and which it lost this Thursday, after dropping to 507.
Moreover, at 6:00 a.m. (Cuban local time) this Wednesday, the euro remains at 570 CUP, according to the reference rate published by the independent medium elTOQUE.
The MLC, for its part, has retained the 405 CUP it reached on February 24 for the fourth day.
Exchange Rate Evolution
Exchange rate today 02/27/2026 - 6:36 a.m. in Cuba:
Dollar exchange rate USD to CUP according to elTOQUE: 508 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP according to elTOQUE: 570 CUP.
Exchange rate of MLC to CUP according to elTOQUE: 405 CUP.
The rates published by elTOQUE have become a key indicator for measuring the real evolution of the Cuban peso against foreign currencies, in a context where the official exchange rate (1 USD = 24 CUP for legal entities and 1 USD = 120 CUP in the state exchange market) remains well below the values that prevail in everyday practice.
This is compounded by the so-called "floating" exchange rate, which, although presented as a more flexible mechanism since mid-December, remains far from the informal rate and fails to meet the actual demand for foreign currency from the population.
The gap between the official and informal exchange rates reflects the ongoing scarcity of foreign currency in the state banking system and the high demand for dollars and euros by the population, whether for emigration, importing goods, protecting savings, or making purchases in the private sector.
In an environment of sustained inflation, low state wages, and increasing partial dollarization of the economy, every fluctuation in the informal market directly impacts internal prices and the purchasing power of Cubans.
Equivalence of United States Dollar (USD) to Cuban Peso (CUP), according to the exchange rates as of February 27th:
1 USD = 508 CUP.
5 USD = 2,540 CUP.
10 USD = 5,080 CUP.
20 USD = 10,160 CUP.
50 USD = 25,400 CUP.
100 USD = 50,800 CUP.
Exchange rate of Euros (EUR) to Cuban Peso (CUP):
1 EUR = 570 CUP.
5 EUR = 2,850 CUP.
10 EUR = 5,700 CUP.
20 EUR = 11,400 CUP.
50 EUR = 28,500 CUP.
100 EUR = 57,000 CUP.
200 EUR = 114,000 CUP.
500 EUR = 285,000 CUP.
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