This is how the informal market closes in Cuba: the dollar and the euro end Thursday on the rise

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Thursday, October 1, 2026 - 9:01 PM

The informal market exchange rate closes today with the euro rising and the dollar stable (image created with AI)Photo © ChatGPT

At 8:00 PM, Cuban local time, closes this Thursday, October 1, 2026, with the dollar and euro on the rise compared to the previous day. The MLC, with limited data, also trends upward, although its value should be considered as indicative. The upward pressure on the Cuban peso remains and strengthens by the end of the day.

The United States dollar (USD)

The United States dollar closes this Thursday with an average value of 770 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a buying rate of 765 CUP and a selling rate of 775 CUP. This represents an increase of 10.5 pesos compared to the previous day, when it was trading around 760 CUP. Throughout the day, the currency rose by 7.5 pesos from the opening, which registered an average value of 763 CUP. In weekly perspective, the dollar has increased by 42.5 pesos compared to the 728 CUP it was at seven days ago, equivalent to a 5.8% increase. The 30-day comparison — which may partly reflect methodological adjustments to the index — shows a gain of 92.5 pesos, 13.7% higher than the 678 CUP from a month ago. The North American currency continues to set the tone for the informal market amid a context of structural currency shortages.

The euro (EUR)

The euro closes the day with an average value of 870 Cuban pesos (CUP), buying at 860 CUP and selling at 880 CUP. Compared to the previous session, it has risen by 5 pesos from the 865 CUP recorded yesterday. For the week, it has gained 40.5 pesos compared to the 830 CUP seen seven days ago, an increase of 4.9%. Looking at the monthly outlook —with the caution that a 30-day comparison warrants due to potential methodological adjustments— the euro has accumulated an increase of 102.5 pesos since it stood at 768 CUP a month ago, representing a rise of 13.4%. The euro surpasses the dollar by 100 pesos, reinforcing its position as the most expensive currency in the Cuban parallel market.

The MLC

The Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) closes with a guideline average value of 506 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a purchase rate of 499 CUP and a selling rate of 512 CUP. The available data for this range is limited, so the figure should be interpreted with caution. Compared to the previous day, it has increased by 14.5 pesos from the 491 CUP of yesterday, and for the week it shows a gain of 13 pesos compared to the 493 CUP from seven days ago. Lacking physical existence, its use is confined to the state-run stores that accept it, which limits its circulation compared to cash currencies.

Exchange Rate Evolution

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 770 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 870 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 506 CUP (indicative value, limited data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III), set on October 1 at 689 CUP per dollar and 781 CUP per euro, remains significantly lower than the values that prevail in the everyday practice of the informal currency market. The difference between the official price and the informal one reaches 81 pesos for the dollar and 89 pesos for the euro, a gap that illustrates the distance between the formal economy and the reality of the Cuban wallet.

Although Segment III was introduced as a more flexible exchange mechanism, its official rate remains very far from that of the informal market and does not meet the actual demand for foreign currency from the population. In the last month, the official dollar increased from 636 to 689 CUP and the euro from 739 to 781 CUP, a rise that, nonetheless, is far from the pace set by the parallel market.

In a scenario of sustained inflation, low state salaries, and increasing partial dollarization of the economy, every fluctuation in the informal market directly impacts internal prices and the purchasing power of Cubans. The closing on Thursday, with the dollar at a 30-day high —770 CUP is also the peak recorded during that period— and the euro similarly at its highest level of the month, confirms that the pressure on the Cuban peso is not easing.

The Exchange Rate of CiberCuba is an index of the informal Cuban market, developed through the automated analysis of thousands of currency trading posts in Telegram and Facebook groups. The calculation excludes atypical offers and spam messages, weighs each transaction according to its age, and consolidates a representative value that is updated several times a day.