This is what the interior of Cuba's first private exchange house looks like, opened in Santa Clara

While Cuban authorities announced the opening of the country's first private currency exchange without revealing its name, address, or owners, images had been circulating on social media for weeks, allowing people to follow the step-by-step setup of ADT64, the business chosen for the pilot project.

The establishment is located at number 64 on Carretera Central, between Tristá and Padre Chao, in Santa Clara, Villa Clara, and its renovation process has been extensively documented on Facebook.

A good portion of those images were published by AWORAN – Graphic Workshop, a design company in Santa Clara responsible for the local graphic work.

On August 19, AWORAN unveiled the facade with the message: "Step by step, the project is taking shape. Casa de Cambio ADT64." The photographs showcased the three-dimensional letters of the name and the golden logo placed above the entrance of the building.

Weeks later, the company also showcased the interior: a counter covered in black with gold veins, LED lighting, and the logo "ADT64 S.A.".

«We completed all the front cladding and the top of the counter, combining elegance, lighting, and modern finishes. Design and assembly that make a difference,» explained AWORAN.

On September 7, when the work was nearly completed, the workshop released a video of the installation of the signage: "From design to reality. Every detail matters to achieve a professional, modern, and prominent result."

The clues were not limited to the company responsible for the assembly. The Facebook page Hello Farándula had posted several photographs since August 18 with the message: "First Currency Exchange x Self-Employment. Soon all the details when its construction is finished."

A day later, the user Díaz Santiago shared an image of the facade and posed a question that foreshadowed the ensuing controversy: "The first private currency exchange in Cuba Santa Clara starts operating. Who will be the real owner...?"

The question sparked comments marked by distrust. "An everyday Cuban... a humble one according to the vocabulary used by the great Cuban Revolution," wrote an internet user. Another commented: "What is known cannot be questioned. Who else, if not?"

Doubts about the business increased after an investigation by elTOQUE revealed that the registered business purpose of ADT64 is related to gastronomy—including the sale of ice cream, pizzas, and hamburgers—and not to currency exchange.

According to that research, the company had already engaged in activities outside of its main line: in February 2026, it was fined 70,000 Cuban pesos for charges to a personal account, and in August, it inaugurated a solinera.

ADT64 began operations on September 14 as a pilot project authorized by the Central Bank of Cuba. The establishment is located about 500 meters from the official CADECA in Santa Clara.

Although a screen displays rates for nine currencies —including the US dollar at 730 pesos for sale— customers who visited the establishment confirmed that, for the time being, ADT64 buys foreign currency, but does not sell it.

The opening is part of the package of 176 economic measures approved in June by the National Assembly, which also includes the entry of private actors into banking and remittance activities.

The Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz announced in July that the first private exchange house was ready to start operating, but did not identify the chosen company at that time.

The official silence regarding the identity of the business stood in stark contrast to what was happening openly in Santa Clara and on social media.