This is how the informal market closes in Cuba: the dollar ends the day stable and the euro rises

Latest News
By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 - 9:21 PM

Street of Havana and currencies (Reference image)Photo © CiberCuba/ChatGpt

At 8:00 PM, local Cuban time, closes the day this Tuesday, September 15, with a mixed performance: the U.S. dollar remains unchanged compared to the previous session, while the euro shows a moderate increase. The MLC, for its part, exhibits an upward trend, although its value should be interpreted with caution given the low volume of transactions supporting it.

The U.S. dollar is quoted at 698 Cuban pesos (CUP) at the end of this trading day, the same level it recorded at the opening and that was also noted in the previous session. It remains unchanged compared to the previous day, which does not prevent it from accumulating a notable gain in the weekly balance: seven days ago, the greenback was exchanged at 685 pesos, representing an increase of 13 pesos during that period. In the monthly balance, the exchange rate has climbed from 664 pesos 30 days ago, although it is important to note that part of this variation may reflect methodological adjustments of the index. Over the last 30 days, the dollar has fluctuated between a minimum of 663 and the current maximum of 698 pesos. It continues to set the tone of the informal market in a context of structural currency shortages.

The euro rises to 795 Cuban pesos (CUP), one peso above the value recorded on the previous day, when it closed at 794 pesos. This represents an increase of 1 peso compared to the previous session. In the weekly comparison, the European currency gains 17.5 pesos from the 778 of seven days ago, and in the monthly balance, it has accumulated a rise of 35 pesos since the 760 of 30 days ago, although this last figure should be interpreted with the usual caution regarding potential methodological adjustments. The maximum of the last 30 days coincides with the current level of 795 pesos, while the minimum for the period was 746 pesos. It is noted as the most expensive currency in the Cuban parallel market, surpassing the dollar by 97 pesos.

The MLC is around 537 Cuban pesos (CUP), a reference value given the low volume of transactions recorded during this timeframe. This represents an increase of 27.5 pesos compared to the previous day, when it was at 509 pesos. Over the last week, the reference rate of the MLC has risen by 75 pesos from the 462 it was at seven days ago, and on a monthly basis, it has accumulated a gain of 79 pesos compared to the 458 from 30 days ago. Without physical existence, its use is limited to state-run businesses that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash foreign currency.

Exchange Rate Evolution

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 698 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 795 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 537 CUP (indicative value, limited data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III), at 659 CUP per dollar and 761 CUP per euro, remains well below the values that are prevalent in everyday transactions in the informal foreign exchange market.

Though 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 actual demand for foreign currency from the population. In the last month, the official dollar has risen from 628 to 659 pesos, and the official euro from 727 to 761 pesos, a rising trend that, however, has not managed to close the gap with the parallel market.

In a context of sustained inflation, low state wages, and increasing partial dollarization of the economy, every change 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 through the automated analysis of thousands of currency trading posts in Telegram and Facebook groups. The calculation filters out atypical offers and spam messages, weighs each transaction according to its age, and consolidates a representative value that is updated multiple times a day.