This is how the informal market in Cuba closes: the dollar and the euro finish stable

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Friday, July 31, 2026 - 11:11 PM

Reference image created with Artificial IntelligencePhoto © CiberCuba / ChatGPT

At 8:00 PM, local Cuban time, the informal currency market in Cuba concludes its activities this Friday, July 31, without any significant changes. The dollar and euro end the day with no variations compared to the previous session, solidifying a phase of stability that stands in contrast to the strong rebound observed in the last month. The MLC, on the other hand, experiences a slight decline, although its exchange rate should be taken as indicative due to the low volume of transactions supporting it. The is updated several times a day based on the analysis of thousands of buying and selling posts.

The U.S. dollar closes at 673 Cuban pesos (CUP), the same value it had in the previous day's trading. The exchange rate remains practically unchanged also in the weekly comparison: seven days ago, the dollar was at 674 pesos, just one peso above the current level. The monthly outlook, however, shows a very different picture: 30 days ago, the dollar was trading at 623 pesos, which represents a rise of nearly 50 pesos over that period, although it is worth noting that this comparison may partially reflect methodological adjustments of the index. In the last month, the dollar has fluctuated between a minimum of 624 and a maximum of 675 pesos. The demand for dollars remains high among those looking to protect their savings against the depreciation of the peso.

The euro closes at 785 Cuban pesos (CUP), showing no variation from the previous day or from seven days ago, when it also stood at 785 pesos. Over the monthly horizon, the European currency has accumulated a gain of 79 pesos compared to the 706 pesos it was at 30 days ago, a rise of 11.2%, although this figure should be interpreted with the same caution as the dollar regarding potential methodological adjustments. The euro has reached a maximum of 790 pesos in the last month and a minimum of 706. It outperforms the dollar by 112 pesos, consolidating its dominant position in the Cuban parallel market.

The MLC is closing around 471 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a decline of 3 pesos compared to the previous day and 4 pesos compared to today's opening. In the weekly comparison, it rises by just 1 peso from 470 a week ago, and over the last month, it has accumulated a gain of 5 pesos from 466 reported 30 days ago. However, the breadth of its monthly range—between a minimum of 410 and a maximum of 543 pesos— reflects the volatility that characterizes this currency. With no physical existence, its use is limited to state-run shops that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash currencies. The published value is indicative given the low volume of transactions recorded in this range.

Exchange Rate Evolution

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 673 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 785 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 471 CUP (indicative value).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III), set this Friday at 611 CUP per dollar and 704 CUP per euro, remains well below the values that prevail in everyday transactions in the informal currency market. The gap between the official and informal rates reaches 62 pesos for the dollar and 81 pesos for the euro.

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. Throughout July, the official dollar has risen from 589 to 611 pesos, and the official euro from 673 to 704 pesos, a rise that, despite everything, has not managed to close the gap with the parallel market.

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

The CiberCuba Exchange Rate is an index of the informal Cuban market created from the automated analysis of thousands of currency buying and selling posts in Telegram and Facebook groups. The calculation disregards atypical offers and spam messages, weights each transaction according to its age, and consolidates a representative value that is updated several times a day.