The informal currency market in Cuba closed on Tuesday, July 21, with new increases in the value of the US dollar and the euro, amid rising demand for foreign currency and a widening gap compared to the official exchange rate.
At the close of the day, at 8:00 p.m. (Cuba time), the US dollar was quoted at 668 Cuban pesos (CUP), two pesos more than the previous day. The euro, on the other hand, reached 775 CUP, with an increase of seven pesos in the last 24 hours, solidifying its position as the most expensive currency in the informal market.
The Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) was provisionally set at 470 CUP. However, this reference should be interpreted with caution due to the limited volume of transactions recorded with this currency, which continues to be restricted to certain state-run businesses.
- Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 668 CUP.
- Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 775 CUP.
- Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 470 CUP (indicative value, limited data).
The greenback has risen by 13 pesos in the last week, increasing from 655 to 668 CUP, a growth of nearly 2%.
Although a month ago the index placed its value around 695 CUP, this comparison should be interpreted with caution, as it may reflect both market movements and methodological adjustments in the construction of the indicator.
The European currency registered the largest gain of the day and is now being exchanged for 775 pesos, compared to 768 CUP on Monday.
In the last seven days, it has gained 20 pesos, equivalent to an increase of 2.6%, and maintains a difference of 107 pesos compared to the dollar, reinforcing its position as the highest-valued currency in the Cuban parallel market.
While the informal market continues to reach new highs, the Central Bank of Cuba maintains an official exchange rate of 592 CUP per dollar and 676 CUP per euro in the so-called Segment III.
The difference between both markets remains significant: 76 pesos per dollar and 99 pesos per euro, a gap that highlights the challenges faced by the official system in meeting the demand for foreign currency.
Although the Government presented Segment III as a more flexible mechanism to align the official rate with market reality, the adjustments made over the past month have not managed to close that gap.
A key market for everyday economics
In a landscape marked by inflation, low state salaries, and the increasing partial dollarization of the economy, every movement in the informal market directly impacts the cost of living.
The rising cost of the dollar and the euro is affecting the prices of food, medicine, electronic equipment, and other products sold by the private sector. It also increases the cost for those who need foreign currency to emigrate, import goods, protect their savings, or make purchases in establishments that operate with foreign currency.
The persistent gap between official exchange rates and those in the informal market also reflects the scarcity of foreign currency available in the state banking system and the strong demand for dollars and euros among the population.
The Exchange Rate of CiberCuba is an index of the informal market created from the automated analysis of thousands of currency buying and selling posts in Telegram and Facebook groups. The system filters out atypical ads and spam messages, weighs transactions based on their timeliness, and generates a representative value that is updated several times a day.
Exchange rate equivalence of United States Dollar (USD) to Cuban Peso (CUP), according to the exchange rates of this Tuesday, July 21, 2026
- 1 USD = 668 CUP
- 5 USD = 3.340 CUP
- 10 USD = 6.680 CUP
- 20 USD = 13.360 CUP
- 50 USD = 33,400 CUP
- 100 USD = 66,800 CUP
Equivalence of Euro (EUR) banknotes to Cuban Peso (CUP), according to the exchange rates on Tuesday, July 21, 2026
- 1 EUR = 775 CUP
- 5 EUR = 3.875 CUP
- 10 EUR = 7.750 CUP
- 20 EUR = 15,500 CUP
- 50 EUR = 38.750 CUP
- 100 EUR = 77.500 CUP
- 200 EUR = 155,000 CUP
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