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

Saturday, July 25, 2026 - 00:39

An upward trend is consolidating throughout the weekPhoto © CiberCuba/ChatGPT

At 8:00 PM, local Cuban time, the informal currency market in Cuba closes this Friday, July 24, with a day marked by the rise of the dollar and the euro.

Both currencies ended the day higher compared to the previous session, solidifying an upward trend that has been ongoing throughout the week.

The MLC, for its part, records a slight drop compared to yesterday, although its exchange rate should be considered as a guiding reference due to the low volume of transactions that supports it.

You can check the history and real-time evolution of the .

Exchange Rate Evolution

The US dollar

The U.S. dollar closes this Friday with an average value of 674 Cuban pesos (CUP), representing an increase of 3.5 pesos compared to the previous day, when it was at 670 CUP. The North American currency has steadily gained ground over the week: a week ago it was trading at 660 pesos, which translates to a rise of 13.5 pesos during that period, equivalent to an increase of 2%.

In a monthly perspective, the dollar is slightly below the 680 pesos it was at 30 days ago, although this comparison should be interpreted with caution, as it may reflect adjustments in the index methodology in addition to the market movement itself.

In the last 30 days, the dollar has fluctuated between a low of 610 and a high of 680 pesos in the informal market. It continues to set the rhythm of the informal market in a context of structural currency shortages.

The euro

The euro closes the day at 785 Cuban pesos (CUP), up by 7 pesos compared to the previous session, when it was valued at 778 CUP. It is the currency with the most significant increase of the day, both in absolute and percentage terms, with a gain of 0.9% compared to yesterday.

In the last week, the euro has risen 30 pesos from the 755 CUP of seven days ago, an increase of 4% that solidifies it as the most expensive currency in the Cuban parallel market.

Regarding 30 days ago, when it was around 790 pesos, the difference is minimal and may be due to methodological variations of the index. The monthly range of the euro has fluctuated between 688 and 790 pesos. It surpasses the dollar by 111 pesos, consolidating its dominant position in the informal market.

The MLC

The MLC will close this Friday with a reference average value of 470 Cuban pesos (CUP), a decrease of 2.5 pesos compared to the previous day, when it was at 473 CUP.

This reference should be taken with caution, as the trading volume that supports its quotation is limited during this time frame. In the past week, however, the MLC has increased by 36 pesos from the 434 CUP of seven days ago, a rise of 8.3%.

In a monthly perspective, the decline is notable: 30 days ago it was priced at 532 pesos, although this variation may partly reflect methodological adjustments to the index.

The monthly range of the MLC has extended between 399 and 543 pesos. Without physical existence, its use is limited to state-run businesses that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash foreign currencies.

Summary of informal market exchange rates — closing on July 24, 2026

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 674 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 785 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 470 CUP (guideline value, limited data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III) is 598 CUP per dollar and 680 CUP per euro, remaining significantly below the values that apply in everyday practice in the informal currency market.

The gap between the official dollar price and the informal one exceeds 76 pesos, while in the case of the euro, the difference reaches 105 pesos.

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

In the last month, the official dollar has increased from 574 to 598 CUP, and the official euro has risen from 653 to 680 CUP, adjustments that have not managed to close the gap with the parallel market.

In a scenario of sustained inflation, low state salaries, and increasing partial dollarization of the economy, every variation in the informal market directly impacts internal prices and the purchasing power of Cubans.

The simultaneous rise of the dollar and the euro this Friday increases pressure on the Cuban peso and further raises the costs of everyday transactions that rely on foreign currencies.

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

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