This is how the informal market in Cuba looks at dawn: The dollar starts rising and the euro is also up

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Saturday, October 3, 2026 - 12:05

Reference illustrationPhoto © CiberCuba

At 10:00 a.m., Cuban local time, opens this Saturday, October 3, 2026, with a session characterized by the rise of the dollar and the euro.

The U.S. dollar rises to 785 Cuban pesos, the euro stands at 880 CUP, and the MLC, with low trading volume, is around 468 pesos, a value that should be considered as indicative.

The upward movement of the dollar is not temporary: the US currency has experienced a sustained rise, increasing from 733 pesos a week ago to the current 785, confirming a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. The euro is also following the upward pressure, reaching a new high this month.

The United States dollar (USD)

The U.S. dollar is being quoted today at 785 Cuban pesos (CUP) in the informal market, with a buying rate at 780 CUP and a selling rate at 789 CUP. This represents an increase of 11 pesos compared to the previous day, when the currency closed around 774 CUP.

Exchange Rate Evolution

In a weekly perspective, the jump is even more striking: seven days ago, the dollar was trading at 733 pesos, which means an increase of 52 pesos, equivalent to 7.1% in just one week.

The 30-day comparison shows the current rate at 107 pesos above the 678 CUP recorded at the beginning of September, although this reference may partly reflect methodological adjustments of the index.

In the last 30 days, the dollar has fluctuated between a low of 678 and the current high of 785 CUP. The demand for dollars remains high among those seeking to protect their savings against the depreciation of the peso.

The euro (EUR)

The euro is quoted today at 880 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a buying rate of 870 CUP and a selling rate of 889 CUP. Compared to the previous trading day, when it was at 875 CUP, it shows an increase of 5 pesos, a 0.5% rise.

In the past week, the euro has risen 40 pesos from 840 CUP that it was at seven days ago, an increase of 4.8%. On the monthly horizon, the European currency has gained 106.5 pesos compared to 773 CUP from 30 days ago, although this comparison should be viewed with caution due to potential methodological adjustments.

The euro exceeds the dollar by 95 pesos, consolidating its position as the most expensive currency in the Cuban parallel market, driven by limited supply and the demand from those receiving remittances from Europe.

The MLC

The MLC appears this Saturday around 468 Cuban pesos (CUP), with a purchase price of 472 CUP and a selling price of 463 CUP. This value should be taken as indicative, as the volume of operations supporting it during this time period is limited.

Regarding the previous session, when it was at 504 CUP, it recorded a drop of 36 pesos, a decrease of 7.1%. In the last week, it has fallen 21.5 pesos from the 489 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 currencies.

Summary of informal market rates

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 785 CUP
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 880 CUP
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 468 CUP (indicative value, limited data)

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III), set today at 695 CUP per dollar and 783 CUP per euro, remains significantly below the rates that are applied in everyday practice in the informal currency market.

Although Segment III was introduced as a more flexible exchange mechanism, its official rate remains far removed from that of the informal market and fails to meet the actual demand for foreign currency among the population.

The gap between the two markets today reaches 90 pesos for the dollar and 97 pesos for the euro, a difference that illustrates the extent of the discrepancy between the official economy and the everyday reality of Cubans.

The gap between the official and informal rates reflects the persistent shortage of foreign currency in the state banking system and the high demand for dollars and euros from the population, whether for emigration, importing goods, protecting savings, or making purchases in the private sector.

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 Exchange Rate of CiberCuba is an index of the informal Cuban market created through the automated analysis of thousands of currency buy-sell 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.