This is how the informal market in Cuba begins the day: The dollar and the euro start on the rise

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Tuesday, July 21, 2026 - 10:32

People on the street, a 100-dollar bill and a 50-euro notePhoto © CiberCuba/ChatGpt

At 10:00 a.m. (Cuban local time), the informal currency market opens on this Tuesday, July 21, 2026, with increases in both reference currencies.

The US dollar starts at 667 Cuban pesos and the euro rises to 771 pesos, both above the values recorded the previous day.

The MLC, with limited data available during this time frame, is quoted informally at around 441 pesos, a figure that should be taken with caution.

You can check the complete evolution of the .

Exchange Rate Evolution

The United States dollar (USD)

The US dollar is trading at 667 Cuban pesos (CUP) in the informal market this Tuesday.

This represents an increase of two pesos compared to the previous day, when it closed at 665 CUP.

The bullish trend is also confirmed on the weekly horizon: seven days ago, the greenback was exchanged for 655 pesos, which represents a cumulative increase of 12 pesos over the past week, equivalent to a rise of 1.8%.

Regarding the monthly comparison, 30 days ago the dollar was at 695 pesos, although this difference may partly reflect methodological adjustments in the index and not just market movements.

In the last 30 days, the dollar has fluctuated between a low of 610 and a high of 695 pesos. It continues to set the tone for the informal market in a context of structural currency shortages.

The euro (EUR)

The euro rises to 771 Cuban pesos (CUP), compared to 765 in the previous session, representing an increase of 5.5 pesos, equivalent to a rise of 0.7% compared to the previous day.

In the weekly comparison, the European currency gains 15.5 pesos over the 755 CUP it was at seven days ago, an increase of 2.1%.

Thirty days ago, it was quoted at 795 pesos; however, similar to the case of the dollar, this monthly reference should be interpreted with caution due to possible methodological adjustments. In the last month, the euro has reached a maximum of 802 and a minimum of 688 pesos.

It surpasses the dollar by 104 pesos, consolidating its dominant position in the Cuban parallel market.

The MLC

The freely convertible currency (MLC) is quoted as an indicative value of 441 Cuban pesos (CUP), as the available data during this time frame is limited.

According to the data from the previous session, the MLC was at 472 pesos, which would imply a drop of 30.5 pesos; however, this variation should be approached with particular caution due to the limited sample of transactions.

In the last month, the MLC has fluctuated between a minimum of 399 and a maximum of 543 pesos.

Without physical existence, its use is limited to the state-run businesses that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash currencies.

Summary of exchange rates for Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Exchange rate from USD to CUP: 667 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 771 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 441 CUP (indicative value, limited data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III) is set at 592 CUP per dollar and 676 CUP per euro, which remains significantly below the rates that prevail in everyday practice in the informal foreign exchange market.

Although Segment III was presented as a more flexible exchange mechanism, its official rate remains significantly distant from that of the informal market and fails to meet the actual demand for foreign currency among the population.

With the informal dollar at 667 pesos compared to the official rate of 592, the gap between the two markets exceeds 75 pesos per dollar.

In the case of the euro, the difference between the 771 in the informal market and the 676 of the official rate amounts to 95 pesos.

In a scenario 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.

The informal currency market in Cuba operates outside of state financial institutions, through networks of buying and selling between individuals.

Although the Cuban regime does not officially acknowledge it, it is the market that effectively determines the real purchasing power of Cubans.

The CiberCuba Exchange Rate is an index of the informal Cuban market, created through the automated analysis of thousands of currency trading posts in Telegram and Facebook groups.

The calculation disregards atypical offers and spam messages, weighs each operation according to its age, and consolidates a representative value that is updated several times a day.

Equivalence of US Dollar (USD) bills to Cuban Peso (CUP), based on the exchange rates from this Tuesday, July 21, 2026