This is how the informal market in Cuba awakens: Dollar and euro on the rise

Latest News
By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Sunday, August 23, 2026 - 12:27 PM

Dollars (Reference image)Photo © CiberCuba

At 10:00 a.m., Cuban local time, opens this Sunday, August 23, 2026, with increases in the two main currencies.

The US dollar rises to 664 Cuban pesos, one peso above the previous day's close, while the euro skyrockets to 750 pesos compared to 746 yesterday.

The MLC, for its part, is around 411 pesos, although this figure should be taken as indicative due to the low volume of transactions supporting it during this time frame.

The US dollar is trading this Sunday at 664 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a buying rate of 660 and a selling rate of 667.

Exchange Rate Evolution

This represents an increase of 1 peso compared to the previous session. In the weekly balance, the dollar remains virtually unchanged against the 664 pesos from seven days ago, reflecting a notable stability in the short term.

During the month, the current quotation is 9 pesos below the 673 recorded 30 days ago, although this comparison may partly reflect adjustments in the index methodology.

In the last 30 days, the dollar has fluctuated between a low of 663 and a high of 675 pesos. It continues to set the tone for the informal market amid a context of structural currency shortages.

The euro rises this Sunday to 750 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a buying price of 740 and a selling price of 760. This represents an increase of 4.5 pesos compared to the previous session, marking the most significant movement at the opening.

In the weekly comparison, however, the European currency is losing ground: a week ago it was valued at 758 pesos, which means a decrease of 7.5 pesos during that period. Compared to 30 days ago, when it was at 778 pesos, the accumulated decline is 28 pesos, although this figure may also reflect methodological adjustments of the index.

The highest value over the last 30 days was recorded at 790 pesos and the lowest at 746. It is stated as the most expensive currency in the Cuban parallel market, exceeding the dollar by 86 pesos in the average value of this opening.

MLC is around 411 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a buying rate of 361 and a selling rate of 461. This value should be interpreted with caution, as the source warns of a low volume of transactions during this time period, making it a guiding figure.

Regarding the previous day, the MLC has dropped 5.5 pesos from yesterday's 417. The trend over the broader period is clearly downward: seven days ago, it was priced at 446 pesos and thirty days ago it reached 482, representing a decline of 70.5 pesos during that time, although part of this decrease may be due to adjustments in the methodology of the index.

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

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 664 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 750 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 411 CUP (indicative value, limited data).

The official exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III) this Sunday is 638 CUP per dollar and 745 CUP per euro, which remains far below the values that apply in everyday practice in the informal currency market.

The gap between the official dollar rate and the informal one exceeds 26 pesos, while in the case of the euro, the difference is only 5 pesos, although in the parallel market, the sale reaches up to 760 pesos.

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

It is worth noting that in the last month, the official exchange rate of the dollar has risen from 598 to 638 CUP, and that of the euro from 680 to 745 CUP, reflecting a sustained devaluation of the peso also in the official channel.

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 simultaneous rise of the dollar and the euro during the opening this Sunday increases the pressure on those who rely on remittances or need foreign currency to meet their daily needs.

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

The calculation rules out atypical offers and spam messages, weighs each transaction based on its age, and consolidates a representative value that is updated several times a day.