The euro approaches 920 pesos, while the dollar reaches a new high in the Cuban informal market

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Friday, October 23, 2026 - 9:57 PM

Cuba closes on Friday with the dollar at 830 pesos, the euro at 919, and a collapse of the MLCPhoto © CiberCuba

At 8:00 PM, local Cuban time, closes this Friday with a day of increases for the US dollar and the euro. Both currencies end the day above the values recorded the previous day, while the MLC shows a significant decline, although this reference should be taken with caution due to the low volume of transactions supporting it.

The U.S. dollar closes at 830 Cuban pesos (CUP), its average value at the end of this trading day. This represents an increase of 3.5 CUP compared to the previous session, when it was quoted at 827 CUP. In weekly perspective, the dollar has accumulated a rise of 27.5 CUP compared to the 803 CUP it marked seven days ago, which translates to an increase of 3.4%.

The 30-day comparison places the current exchange rate at 105.5 CUP above the levels seen at the end of September, although it is important to consider that this variation may partially reflect adjustments in the index's methodology.

In the last 30 days, the dollar has fluctuated between a minimum of 725 CUP and the current maximum of 830 CUP. It continues to dictate the rhythm of the informal market in the context of a structural shortage of foreign currency.

The euro closes at 919 CUP, compared to the 915 CUP recorded on the previous day, which represents an increase of 3.5 CUP. Over the last week, the European currency has risen by 21 CUP from 898 CUP seven days ago, a gain of 2.3%.

Exchange Rate Evolution

In the last month, the euro has accumulated a gain of 93 CUP; however, just like with the dollar, this figure should be interpreted with caution as it may include methodological adjustments.

The maximum in the last 30 days coincides with today's close at 919 CUP, while the minimum was at 826 CUP. It exceeds the dollar by 89 CUP, consolidating its dominant position in the Cuban parallel market.

The MLC is quoted around 570 CUP at the end of this trading day, although this figure should be regarded as indicative due to the low volume of operations backing it. Compared to the previous day, the MLC shows a drop of 105.5 CUP, which represents a decrease of 15.6%.

In the last week, it has decreased by 61.5 CUP compared to the 632 CUP from seven days ago. Over the past 30 days, it has fluctuated between a minimum of 457 CUP and a maximum of 742 CUP, a range that reflects the volatility and irregularity of its market. Without physical existence, its use is limited to the state-run businesses that accept it, which restricts its circulation compared to cash currencies.

Exchange rate of the dollar USD to CUP: 830 CUP.
Exchange rate of the euro EUR to CUP: 919 CUP.
Exchange rate from MLC to CUP: 570 CUP (indicative value, limited data).

The official exchange rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (Segment III) is 738 CUP per dollar and 827 CUP per euro, remaining significantly below the values that are prevalent in everyday practice in the informal currency market. 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 emigrating, importing goods, protecting savings, or making purchases in the private sector.

In an environment 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.

With the informal dollar at 830 CUP compared to the 738 CUP official rate, the difference of 92 CUP per unit represents a real penalty for those who do not have access to foreign currency through state channels, which in practice is the vast majority of the population.

The exchange rate of CiberCuba is an index of the informal Cuban market created from the automated analysis of thousands of currency trading posts in Telegram and Facebook groups. The calculation discards atypical offers and spam messages, weighs each transaction according to its recency, and consolidates a representative value that is updated several times a day.