Dollar and euro rise in Cuba, reaching new highs in the informal market

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Friday, September 25, 2026 - 10:05 PM

The dollar rises to 733 pesos and the euro to 836 as the exchange gap in Cuba widensPhoto © CiberCuba

At 8:00 PM, Cuban local time, closes this Friday with increases in the two main currencies. The US dollar and the euro have risen compared to the previous day, while the MLC remains practically stable, although there is limited data available during this time period.

The U.S. dollar ends the day with an average value of 733 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a buying price of 730 CUP and a selling price of 735 CUP. This represents an increase of five pesos compared to the previous day, when it was at 728 CUP.

The upward trend is also evident on the weekly horizon: seven days ago, the dollar was trading at 706 CUP, marking an increase of 27 pesos in one week, which equates to a rise of 3.8%.

In the last month, the US dollar has risen from 669 CUP, although this 30-day comparison may partly reflect methodological adjustments of the index. Today, the dollar reaches its highest point in the last 30 days, solidifying its status as the main reference currency in the Cuban informal market.

Exchange Rate Evolution

The euro closes at an average of 836 Cuban pesos, with a buying rate of 835 CUP and a selling rate of 836 CUP. According to data from the previous session, the European currency was valued at 830 CUP, so today's increase is six pesos, a rise of 0.7%.

In the last week, the euro has increased by 31 pesos from the 805 CUP it was at seven days ago, an advance of 3.9%. Thirty days ago, it was at 758 CUP; however, like with the dollar, this monthly variation should be viewed with caution. It surpasses the dollar by 103 pesos, reinforcing its dominant position in the Cuban parallel market.

The MLC registers an indicative average value of 492 Cuban pesos, with a purchase price of 481 CUP and a sale price of 502 CUP. Compared to the previous day, when it was at 493 CUP, the variation is just one peso downward. It is worth noting that this currency has limited data during this time frame, so its price should be taken as an approximate reference.

In the last week, it has increased by 8.5 pesos from the 483 CUP of seven days ago. Without physical existence, its use is limited to state-run businesses that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash in foreign currencies.

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 733 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 836 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 492 CUP (indicative value).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III), at 678 CUP per dollar and 771 CUP per euro, remains well below the values that prevail in daily practice in the informal currency market. The gap between the official and informal rates today is 55 pesos in the case of the dollar and 65 pesos in the case of the euro.

Although 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 increased from 636 to 678 CUP, and the official euro from 742 to 771 CUP, but both rates are still inadequate to reflect the reality of the market.

In a scenario of sustained inflation, low state wages, and increasing partial dollarization of the economy, every fluctuation in the informal market directly affects internal prices and the purchasing power of Cubans.

The demand for dollars and euros remains high among those looking to protect their savings from the depreciation of the peso or to finance imports and emigration projects.

The Exchange Rate of CiberCuba is an index of the informal Cuban market created through the automated analysis of thousands of currency exchange posts in Telegram and Facebook groups.

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