At 10:00 a.m. local time in Havana, begins the week with increases in the dollar and the euro, while the MLC declines.
The three reference currencies of the Cuban informal market start the day with exchange rates that keep the Cuban peso under pressure, amid a persistent shortage of foreign currency and no signs of short-term improvement.
Summary of informal market rates
- Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 678 CUP.
- Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 765 CUP.
- Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 464 CUP (indicative value, few data).
United States Dollar (USD)
The US dollar is quoted at 678 Cuban pesos (CUP) in the informal market. This represents an increase of 3 pesos compared to the previous day, when it was reported at 675 CUP.
In the last week, the greenback has risen by 12 pesos—a 1.8% increase—since it was at 666 CUP seven days ago. Compared to 30 days ago, the exchange rate has increased by 5 pesos, although it is advisable to take this comparison with caution.
Exchange Rate Evolution
In the last month, the dollar has fluctuated between a low of 663 CUP and the current maximum of 678 CUP, which marks the peak of the period. It continues to reflect the pulse of the informal market in a context of structural currency scarcity.
Euro (EUR)
The euro is quoted at 765 Cuban pesos (CUP), which represents an increase of 2 pesos compared to the previous day, when it was reported at 763 CUP.
In the last week, the European currency has gained 10 pesos—1.3%—compared to the 755 CUP of seven days ago. Over a 30-day horizon, the euro has decreased by 20 pesos from the reference 785 CUP, although this variation may partly reflect methodological adjustments of the index.
The monthly range sets the minimum at 746 CUP and the maximum at 788 CUP. It surpasses the dollar by 87 pesos, reinforcing its dominant position in the Cuban parallel market.
MLC (Freely Convertible Currency)
The MLC is set at 464 Cuban pesos (CUP), although the available data during this time frame is limited. This represents a decrease of approximately 4.5 pesos compared to the previous day, when the reference was 468 CUP.
In the past week, the MLC has decreased by 5 pesos — a 1.1% drop — from 469 CUP a week ago. Without a physical existence, its use is limited to state-run businesses that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash currencies.
The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III) is set at 634 CUP per dollar and 735 CUP per euro, which remains significantly below the values that prevail in everyday transactions in the informal currency market.
Segment III was introduced as a more flexible exchange mechanism, but its official rate remains far from that of the informal market. It fails to meet the actual demand for foreign currency from the population. The gap between the two markets now reaches 44 pesos in the case of the dollar and 30 pesos in the case of the euro.
In a scenario of sustained inflation, low state wages, and increasing partial dollarization of the economy, every variation in the informal market directly impacts internal prices and the purchasing power of Cubans.
The informal currency market in Cuba operates outside of state financial institutions, through networks of buying and selling between individuals. The Cuban regime does not officially recognize it, but it is the market that practically determines the real purchasing power of Cubans.
The CiberCuba Exchange Rate is an index of the informal Cuban 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 based on its age, and consolidates a representative value that is updated several times a day.
Equivalence of United States Dollar (USD) bills to Cuban Peso (CUP), according to the exchange rates of this Monday, August 31, 2026
- 1 USD = 678 CUP
- 5 USD = 3.390 CUP
- 10 USD = 6.780 CUP
- 20 USD = 13,560 CUP
- 50 USD = 33,900 CUP
- 100 USD = 67,800 CUP
Equivalence of Euro (EUR) bills to Cuban Peso (CUP), according to the exchange rates of this Monday, August 31, 2026
- 1 EUR = 765 CUP
- 5 EUR = 3.825 CUP
- 10 EUR = 7.650 CUP
- 20 EUR = 15,300 CUP
- 50 EUR = 38.250 CUP
- 100 EUR = 76.500 CUP
- 200 EUR = 153,000 CUP
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