This is how the informal market closes in Cuba: The dollar and the euro rise at the end of the day

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Wednesday, July 22, 2026 - 8:32 PM

Reference imagePhoto © Illustration CiberCuba

At 8:00 PM, Cuban local time, the closed the session on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, with increases in both reference currencies.

The US dollar and the euro ended the day above the values recorded the previous day, following an upward trend that has been ongoing throughout the week.

The U.S. dollar was valued at 671 Cuban pesos (CUP) at the close of this Wednesday.

This represents an increase of 3.5 pesos compared to the previous day, when it closed at 668 CUP.

Exchange Rate Evolution

In the weekly perspective, the greenback has risen by 16 pesos compared to the 655 CUP recorded seven days ago, which represents an increase of 2.4%.

Regarding the 30-day comparison—which may partly reflect methodological adjustments of the index—the dollar is priced at 24 pesos below the 695 CUP from a month ago.

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

The euro closed the day at 778 Cuban pesos (CUP), which represents an increase of 2.5 pesos compared to the previous session, when it was at 775 CUP.

In the last week, the European currency has risen by 22.5 pesos from the 755 CUP of seven days ago, an increase of 3%. The comparison over the past 30 days—considering the caution advised due to potential methodological adjustments—shows a quotation 22 pesos lower than the 800 CUP from a month ago.

The euro has reached a high of 802 and a low of 688 pesos in the last month. It is confirmed as the most expensive currency in the Cuban parallel market, surpassing the dollar by 107 pesos.

The MLC recorded an indicative average value of 479 Cuban pesos (CUP) at the close of this trading day, with a buying price of 464 and a selling price of 494 CUP.

Regarding the previous day, the MLC rose by 9.5 pesos from the 470 CUP recorded on Tuesday, although in the weekly comparison it is only 1.5 pesos below the 481 CUP from seven days ago.

In the last 30 days, it 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.

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 671 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 778 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 479 CUP (indicative value, limited data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III), set this Wednesday at 596 CUP per dollar and 680 CUP per euro, remained significantly below the values that govern everyday transactions in the informal currency market.

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

The gap between both markets reaches 75 pesos for the dollar and 98 pesos for the euro this Wednesday, a disparity that illustrates the disconnect between the state financial system and the real economy of Cubans.

In a scenario of sustained inflation, low state wages, and a growing partial dollarization of the economy, each fluctuation in the informal market directly affects internal prices and the purchasing power of Cubans.

The upward trend that the dollar has accumulated in the last week —16 pesos increase in seven days— further worsens the erosion of the purchasing power of those earning income in Cuban pesos.

The CiberCuba Exchange Rate is an index of the Cuban informal market, created through the automated analysis of thousands of currency buying and selling 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.