In recent hours, one of the three reference currencies in the Cuban informal market has seen a notable increase in its street sale value.
The Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) kicks off the week on a high note, reaching 420 Cuban pesos (CUP) this Monday, an increase of eight pesos compared to the previous day, according to the monitoring conducted by el TOQUE of the informal currency market.
It is the second consecutive day of increase for the MLC.
On Sunday, there had already been a surge of 12 pesos in the informal market, ending that day at around 412 CUP.
Exchange Rate Evolution
At the beginning of last week, the MLC was hovering around 400 CUP.
The dollar and the euro, on the other hand, remain stable in their values without any variation this April 27.
The US dollar remains at 530 CUP and the euro at 600 CUP, both at their historic highs in the informal market.
The dollar has been at this historic record for several consecutive days, a level that was reached last Tuesday after rising four pesos in a single day.
The euro, for its part, broke the barrier of 600 CUP on April 19 and has not wavered since then.
Exchange rate today 04/27/2026 - 7:41 a.m. in Cuba:
Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP according to elTOQUE: 530 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP according to elTOQUE: 600 CUP.
Exchange rate of MLC to CUP according to TOQUE: 420 CUP.
The gap with the official rates is vast.
The Central Bank of Cuba sets the dollar at 494 CUP and the euro at 578.67 CUP, while in the informal market, these figures exceed by more than 35 and 20 pesos, respectively.
The Observatory of Currencies and Finances of Cuba (OMfi) projects that the dollar could close April around 533 CUP, with a range extending up to 590 CUP; and the euro at 604 CUP, suggesting that the upward trend has not yet concluded.
The depreciation of the Cuban peso has structural roots that have intensified in 2026.
The energy crisis triggered by the interruption of Venezuelan oil shipments and the suspension of Mexican supplies in January of this year has severely impacted the already limited availability of foreign currency on the island.
Since 2020, the Cuban peso has lost approximately 95% of its value against the dollar in the informal market: declining from 42 CUP per dollar to the current 530 CUP.
In just the last twelve months, the US dollar has risen by 47.8%; from 345 CUP in March 2025 to 530 CUP this Monday.
The economist Pavel Vidal states that "the new Cuban economic program acknowledges the link between inflation, deficit, and monetary issuance, but the adjustment focuses on cuts without structural reforms for growth", which suggests that the depreciation spiral is unlikely to be reversed in the short term.
Equivalence of United States Dollar (USD) to Cuban Peso (CUP), according to the exchange rates as of this April 27:
1 USD = 530 CUP.
5 USD = 2,650 CUP.
10 USD = 5,300 CUP.
20 USD = 10,600 CUP.
50 USD = 26,500 CUP.
100 USD = 53,000 CUP.
Equivalence of Euro (EUR) banknotes to Cuban Peso (CUP):
1 EUR = 600 CUP.
5 EUR = 3,000 CUP.
10 EUR = 6,000 CUP.
20 EUR = 12,000 CUP.
50 EUR = 30,000 CUP.
100 EUR = 60,000 CUP.
200 EUR = 120,000 CUP.
500 EUR = 300,000 CUP.
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