This is how the informal market closes in Cuba: The dollar and the euro end the day on a high note

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Sunday, September 13, 2026 - 9:47 PM

Dollars and euros (Reference image created with Artificial Intelligence)Photo © CiberCuba/ChatGPT

At 8:00 PM, local Cuban time, the closes this Sunday, September 13, 2026, with the dollar and euro on the rise compared to the previous day.

The US dollar ends the day at 694 Cuban pesos, the euro reaches 791 pesos, and the MLC is around 479 pesos, although this last figure should be considered as indicative due to the low volume of transactions recorded during this time frame.

The balance of the day confirms a sustained upward trend in the two main currencies of the Cuban informal market, with gains compared to both the previous day and one week and one month ago.

Dollar

The US dollar (USD) is trading at 694 Cuban pesos (CUP) at the close of this Sunday. This represents an increase of 1.00 peso compared to the previous day, when it closed at 693 CUP.

Exchange Rate Evolution

In the weekly perspective, the US dollar has seen an increase of 11 pesos compared to the 683 CUP from seven days ago, which corresponds to a rise of 1.6%.

Compared to 30 days ago, when it was around 664 pesos, the gain amounts to nearly 30 pesos, although it is worth noting that this comparison may partly reflect adjustments in the index methodology. Over the last 30 days, the dollar has fluctuated between a low of 663 and the high of 694 CUP recorded today. It continues to set the pace for the informal market in a context of structural currency shortages.

Euro

The euro closes the day at 791 Cuban pesos (CUP), reflecting an increase of 3.00 pesos compared to the previous session, when it was at 788 CUP. In the past week, the European currency has risen by 15.5 pesos from 775 CUP seven days ago, a 2% increase.

Compared to 30 days ago, when it was valued at around 760 pesos, the gain is around 30.5 pesos, although this monthly reference should be interpreted with caution due to possible methodological adjustments. The maximum in the last 30 days is at 792 CUP and the minimum at 746 CUP. It surpasses the dollar by 97 pesos, consolidating its dominant position in the Cuban parallel market.

MLC

The MLC closes this Sunday at around 479 Cuban pesos (CUP), although this value should be considered indicative given the low volume of operations recorded. This represents an increase of 18.5 pesos compared to yesterday's close, when it stood at 460 CUP, and 63.5 pesos compared to the 415 CUP from seven days ago.

In the last 30 days, it has fluctuated between a minimum of 408 and a maximum of 529 CUP. With no physical presence, its use is limited to state-run businesses that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash currency.

Summary of exchange rates as of the close on September 13, 2026

Exchange rate of the dollar (USD) to CUP: 694 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro (EUR) to CUP: 791 CUP.
Exchange rate of MLC to CUP: 479 CUP (guideline value, limited data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III) remains at 655 CUP per dollar and 760 CUP per euro, which is well below the values that prevail in everyday practice in the informal currency market.

Although Segment III was introduced as a more flexible exchange mechanism, its official quotation remains very distant from that of the informal market and fails to meet the real demand for foreign currency from the population. The gap between both markets today is 39 pesos in the case of the dollar and 31 pesos in relation to the euro.

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 Exchange Rate of CiberCuba 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 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.