The informal currency market in Cuba heads into the weekend without any surprises, but with a clear signal: the US dollar remains anchored at its historical high and has now stayed at that level for nine consecutive days.
According to the daily report published this Saturday by the independent media elTOQUE, the dollar (USD) remains at 510 Cuban pesos (CUP), exactly the same exchange rate recorded throughout the last week.
The euro (EUR) is currently sold for 575 CUP, while the Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) is priced at 412.5 CUP.
Informal exchange rate in Cuba Saturday, March 7, 2026 - 07:00
Exchange Rate Evolution
- Exchange rate of the dollar (USD) to Cuban pesos CUP: 510 CUP
- Exchange rate of the euro (EUR) to Cuban pesos CUP: 575 CUP
- Exchange rate of (MLC) to Cuban pesos CUP: 412.5 CUP
After remaining at 570 CUP for several days between February 28 and March 2, the European currency began to rise starting March 3, when it reached around 573 CUP. The following day it hit 575 CUP, a level it has maintained without fluctuations up to this March 7.
This behavior consolidates the euro as the most expensive currency in the Cuban informal market and confirms the sustained pressure on the Cuban peso due to the ongoing demand for strong foreign currency in the country's informal economy.
The apparent stability does not conceal the economic background. The dollar's persistence at 510 CUP confirms the strong depreciation of the Cuban peso in the informal market, which continues to serve as a real reference for millions of Cubans, despite the efforts of the Central Bank of Cuba (BCC) to consolidate its official exchange rate, known as “floating.”
For its part, the MLC has also shown stability in recent days. The day before, it was trading around 415 CUP, and this Saturday starts at 412.4 CUP, once again highlighting the lack of confidence inspired by a currency designed for use in foreign currency recovery stores, mostly state-run and poorly supplied.
The evolution of these rates reflects the constant pressure on the Cuban peso in a context of sustained inflation, insufficient state wages, and the growing partial dollarization of the economy. In practice, every movement in the informal market directly influences internal prices for food, transportation, or services.
The contrast with official rates remains significant. While the informal market places the dollar around 510 CUP, the Central Bank of Cuba sets a rate of 471 CUP per dollar and 544.85 CUP per euro in its official exchange segments for March 7.
Although these values have been adjusting upwards in recent months, they remain below the rates that prevail in the informal market, highlighting the persistent gap between official rates and those that govern everyday life in the Cuban economy.
In this scenario, the persistence of the dollar at its historic high for over a week confirms the fragility of the Cuban peso and the high demand for foreign currency among those looking to protect their savings or finance migration projects.
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