The first day of May dawns calmly and without changes in the informal currency market in Cuba.
At the first hour of this May 1st, the dollar remains at 535 Cuban pesos (CUP), the euro at 605 CUP, and the MLC at 410 CUP.
The dollar reached that record level this Thursday, following two consecutive days of increase: on April 29, it climbed to 532 CUP, and the next day it added three more pesos, thus exceeding the maximum projection of the Observatory of Currencies and Finance of Cuba (OMFi), which estimated a ceiling of 533 CUP for the end of April.
The rise during April was progressive and steady. From the 515 CUP at the end of March, the currency accumulated an increase of 20 pesos during the month, equivalent to a rise of 3.9%.
Exchange Rate Evolution
On April 22, one of the most sudden movements of the period was recorded: the dollar rose four pesos in a single day to 530 CUP, a level it maintained for several consecutive days before continuing its ascent.
The euro, for its part, achieved its own milestone on April 19, when it broke the psychological barrier of 600 CUP for the first time in history. It held that level for ten days before climbing another five pesos on April 29 to reach 605 CUP, also exceeding the OMFi's forecast of 604 CUP.
The MLC, on the other hand, shows a downward trend: it fell to 410 CUP on April 30 and has remained at that level this Friday, after having traded at higher levels weeks ago.
Exchange rate today 01/05/2026 - 8:20 a.m. in Cuba:
Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP according to elTOQUE: 535 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP according to elTOQUE: 605 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP according to TOQUE: 400 CUP.
Among the structural factors explaining the ongoing depreciation of the Cuban peso are the energy crisis caused by the interruption of Venezuelan crude oil shipments and the suspension of Mexican supplies since January 2026, the decline in tourism, the shortage of foreign currency in the banking system, and the excessive monetary issuance related to the fiscal deficit.
Historically speaking, the Cuban peso has lost approximately 95% of its value against the dollar since 2020, when it was exchanged at 42 CUP per dollar. In just the last 12 months, the US dollar has risen by 47.8% on the informal market, increasing from 345 CUP to the current 535 CUP.
Equivalence of United States Dollar (USD) to Cuban Peso (CUP), according to the exchange rates as of May 1:
1 USD = 535 CUP.
5 USD = 2,675 CUP.
10 USD = 5,350 CUP.
20 USD = 10,700 CUP.
50 USD = 26,750 CUP.
100 USD = 53,500 CUP.
Equivalence of Euro (EUR) bills to Cuban Peso (CUP):
1 EUR = 605 CUP.
5 EUR = 3.025 CUP.
10 EUR = 6,050 CUP.
20 EUR = 12,100 CUP.
50 EUR = 30,250 CUP.
100 EUR = 60,500 CUP.
200 EUR = 121,000 CUP.
500 EUR = 302,500 CUP.
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