Currency market in Cuba kicks off on Monday with unexpected movements: dollar reaches new high

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Monday, October 19, 2026 - 10:13

Dollars, euros, and Cuban pesos (Reference image)Photo © CiberCuba

The begins this Monday with movements in opposite directions: the US dollar is rising again and has reached its highest value in the last 30 days, while the euro experiences a slight decrease and the MLC also falls back.

The dollar is trading at 812 Cuban pesos (CUP), five pesos more than on Sunday, when it was at 807 CUP. The U.S. currency thus maintains its upward trend and continues to gain ground against the national currency.

In the analyzed buying and selling operations, the dollar has a purchase value of 809 CUP and a selling value of 815 CUP, which places its average exchange rate at 812 CUP.

The increase is even more significant when looking at the weekly evolution. Seven days ago, the dollar was priced at 785 CUP, which means it has risen by 27 pesos in a week, approximately equivalent to 3.4%.

Compared to the 708 CUP recorded 30 days ago, the difference amounts to 104 pesos. However, this variation should be interpreted with caution, as part of the movement may be influenced by methodological adjustments to the index.

Exchange Rate Evolution

With the current 812 CUP, the dollar reaches its highest point in the last 30 days, a period during which it recorded a low of 708 CUP.

The euro, for its part, shows a different behavior at the start of the week. The European currency is trading this Monday at 903 CUP, one peso less than the previous day, when it reached 904 CUP.

The buying and selling references place the euro at 900 CUP for purchase and 906 CUP for sale.

Although the daily decline is minimal, it temporarily disrupts the progress of a currency that continues to show an upward trend over longer periods.

In the last seven days, the euro has gained 23 pesos, rising from 880 to 903 CUP. Over the past month, it has fluctuated between a minimum of 803 CUP and a maximum of 905 CUP.

The European currency remains the most expensive of the three main references in the Cuban informal market, with a difference of 91 pesos compared to the US dollar.

The Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) is also showing downward movement. Its indicative value is this Monday set at 637 CUP, compared to the 652 CUP recorded on Sunday, which represents a decline of 15 pesos, approximately equivalent to 2.3%.

In this case, the data requires special caution, as the buying and selling references show a considerable difference: 500 CUP for buying and 774 CUP for selling.

Despite the drop on Monday, the MLC has accumulated a weekly increase of 103 pesos, after starting the period at 534 CUP.

Unlike cash dollars and euros, the MLC does not circulate as physical currency, and its use depends on the operations enabled in the network of stores and bank accounts that work with that denomination.

The reference exchange rates for the Cuban informal market this Monday are as follows:

United States Dollar (USD): 812 CUP.
Euro (EUR): 903 CUP.
MLC: 637 CUP.

The movements of the parallel market contrast with the official values of the Central Bank of Cuba (BCC), which maintains a reference rate of 720 CUP per dollar and 811 CUP per euro for Segment III.

The difference between both references reaches 92 pesos per dollar and another 92 pesos per euro, which highlights the persistence of a significant gap between official and informal exchange rates.

Segment III was introduced as part of the exchange mechanisms aimed at flexibilizing currency operations, but its values remain below those of the parallel market references.

In the last 30 days, the official dollar rose from 669 to 720 CUP, an increase of 51 pesos. During the same period, the informal rate went from 708 to 812 CUP.

These differences highlight the challenges of aligning the prices of both markets in a context characterized by a shortage of foreign currency, monetary imbalances, and the loss of purchasing power of the Cuban peso.

The quotes are for informational purposes only and do not constitute official rates, nor do they guarantee that all individual transactions will be conducted at those exact values.