This is how the informal market closes in Cuba: the dollar ends the day stable while the euro declines

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Sunday, October 4, 2026 - 8:07 PM

Money in CubaPhoto © CiberCuba

At 8:00 PM, local Cuban time, concludes this Sunday, October 4, 2026, with a mixed performance: the US dollar ends the day unchanged, while the euro slightly retreats compared to the opening. The MLC, for its part, provides an indicative exchange rate that should be taken with caution due to the lack of available data during this time frame.

The United States dollar (USD)

The U.S. dollar is quoted at 785 Cuban pesos (CUP) at the close of this Sunday. It remains unchanged compared to the previous day, when it also closed at 785 pesos. However, the weekly and monthly outlook reveals a sustained upward trend: seven days ago, the dollar was at 740 pesos, indicating an increase of 45 pesos in the last week (+6.1%). In the total for the last 30 days, the rise is even more pronounced, with a gain of 102.5 pesos from the 683 pesos a month ago (+15%), although this comparison may partly reflect methodological adjustments of the index. The demand for dollars remains high among those looking to protect their savings against the depreciation of the peso.

The euro (EUR)

The euro closes the day at 879 Cuban pesos (CUP), which represents a drop of 6.5 pesos compared to the previous day, when it was at 885 pesos (-0.7%). Despite this slight setback, the European currency continues to show a positive trend over the weekly accumulation: seven days ago it was trading at 847 pesos, meaning it has gained 31.5 pesos (+3.7%) in the last week. In the monthly outlook, the euro has risen by 103.5 pesos from the 775 pesos of 30 days ago (+13.4%), although this figure should be interpreted with caution as it may incorporate methodological adjustments. It surpasses the dollar by 94 pesos, consolidating its dominant position in the Cuban parallel market.

The MLC

The MLC is around 532 Cuban pesos (CUP), although this value should be considered merely a reference: the available data at the close is scarce and not very representative. Compared to the previous session, where it was recorded at 460 pesos, the apparent variation is +72 pesos (+15.7%), a fluctuation that reflects more the irregularity of the sample than a real market movement. Seven days ago, the MLC was priced at 542 pesos, and thirty days ago at 462 pesos. With no physical existence, its use is limited to state-run shops that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash currencies.

Exchange Rate Evolution

Summary of exchange rates as of the close on October 4, 2026

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 785 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 879 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 532 CUP (indicative value, limited data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III), at 695 CUP per dollar and 783 CUP per euro, remains well below the values that dominate day-to-day practices in the informal currency market.

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 real demand for foreign currency from the population. In the last month, the official dollar has risen from 638 to 695 CUP, and the official euro from 742 to 783 CUP, an upward trend that, however, does not close the gap with the parallel market: the informal dollar exceeds the official rate by 90 pesos, and the informal euro does so by 96 pesos.

In a context 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 informal currency market in Cuba operates outside of state financial institutions, through networks of buying and selling among individuals. Although the Cuban regime does not officially recognize it, this market effectively determines the real purchasing power of Cubans.

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