Close of the informal market in Cuba: The dollar and the euro rise at the end of the day

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 - 9:04 PM

Money, reference imagePhoto © CiberCuba

At 8:00 PM, local Cuban time, the informal currency market in Cuba concludes its session on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, with the dollar and the euro on the rise.

The US dollar ends the day at 823 Cuban pesos, while the euro rises to 912 pesos.

The MLC, for its part, registers a guiding value that should be taken with caution due to the low volume of operations during this time frame. You can check the complete evolution in the .

The United States dollar

The U.S. dollar is quoted at 823 Cuban pesos (CUP) at the close of this trading day. This represents an increase of 5 pesos compared to the previous day, when it closed at 818 CUP.

On a weekly basis, the currency has risen by 27.5 pesos compared to the 795 CUP it recorded seven days ago, which represents an increase of 3.5%.

Exchange Rate Evolution

In the last month, the dollar has risen from 718 CUP, although it is worth noting that part of this variation may reflect adjustments in the methodology of the index rather than solely market movements.

The highest recorded in the last 30 days coincides precisely with today's value: 823 CUP. It continues to reflect the dynamics of the informal market amid a context of structural shortages of foreign currency.

The euro

The euro rises to 912 Cuban pesos by the close of this Wednesday, up from 908 CUP the previous day, indicating an increase of 4 pesos.

In the past week, the European currency has gained 21.5 pesos, compared to 890 CUP seven days ago, marking an increase of 2.4%.

The value today also represents the highest point in the last 30 days, during which the exchange rate started at 818 CUP. It is established as the most expensive currency in the Cuban parallel market, surpassing the dollar by 89 pesos and consolidating its dominant position.

The MLC

The MLC records a reference average value of 733 Cuban pesos at the end of the trading day, although the available data is scarce during this time frame and the figure should be interpreted with caution.

Compared to the previous day, when it stood at 587 CUP, the variation is significant; however, the low volume of transactions limits the reliability of this reading.

Without a physical existence, its use is limited to state-run businesses that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash currencies.

Summary of exchange rates

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 823 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 912 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 733 CUP (indicative value, few data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III), at 729 CUP per dollar and 819 CUP per euro, remains well below the values that prevail in everyday practice in the informal currency market.

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

In the past month, the official dollar has risen from 669 to 729 CUP, and the official euro from 767 to 819 CUP, a rising trend that, however, does not close the gap with the parallel market: today that difference is 94 pesos for the dollar and 93 pesos for the euro.

In a scenario of sustained inflation, low state salaries, and 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 developed from the automated analysis of thousands of currency trading posts in Telegram and Facebook groups.

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