The week begins with surprises in the informal currency market in Cuba

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By CiberCuba Editorial Team

Monday, October 26, 2026 - 10:26

Reference illustrationPhoto © CiberCuba

The informal currency market in Cuba starts the week with new upward movements that keep pressure on the Cuban peso.

This Monday, the US dollar has become more expensive again, the euro remains at high levels, and the Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) shows a rebound that should be approached with caution due to the lack of available data.

According to , updated at 10:00 a.m. Cuba time, the U.S. dollar reaches 840 Cuban pesos (CUP), while the euro stands at 930 CUP and the MLC has a guiding reference of 574 CUP.

The dollar exchange rate shows an increase of 6.5 pesos compared to the reference of 834 CUP recorded on Sunday morning, extending the upward trend observed in recent days.

The US dollar has risen by 28 pesos compared to the 812 CUP from a week ago, representing an approximate increase of 3.4%.

Exchange Rate Evolution

With this Monday's value, the dollar reaches its highest level in the last 30 days within the consulted series, a period in which it recorded a low of 733 CUP.

The difference from that minimum monthly amount is 107 pesos, although comparisons over 30 days should be interpreted with caution, as they may include methodological adjustments to the index, in addition to real variations in buying and selling offers.

The euro also starts the week at elevated levels. The European currency is trading at 930 CUP, slightly above the 929 CUP reference from Sunday morning.

In the weekly comparison, the euro has gained 27 pesos compared to the 903 CUP recorded seven days ago, which is an increase of approximately 3%.

The current value matches its maximum of the last 30 days within the consulted series. Additionally, the European currency maintains a difference of 90 pesos above the US dollar in the informal Cuban market.

Both currencies continue to show an upward trend in the weekly comparison, although their rates can fluctuate throughout the day and do not constitute binding prices for private transactions.

The MLC showcases one of the most notable movements of the morning, with a reference of 574 CUP, compared to the 536 CUP recorded the previous morning.

While purchase offers are around 526 CUP, sales offers reach approximately 622 CUP, a difference that reflects the uncertainty of this reference.

Additionally, in the weekly comparison, the MLC remains below the 637 CUP recorded seven days ago, despite the rise observed this Monday.

This is how foreign currencies are quoted in the informal Cuban market this Monday:

United States dollar (USD): 840 CUP.
Euro (EUR): 930 CUP.
Freely Convertible Currency (MLC): 574 CUP.

The difference between informal quotes and official rates continues to be significant.

The exchange rate of the Segment III of the Central Bank of Cuba, designated for authorized transactions for the public, is set this Monday at 743 CUP per dollar and approximately 832 CUP per euro.

This represents a difference of 97 pesos per dollar and around 98 pesos per euro compared to the informal references from the morning.

Although Segment III was introduced as a flexible exchange mechanism, the gap between its quotes and those of the informal market remains wide, in a context of high demand for foreign currency and limited access to foreign currencies.

On Sunday night, the informal market had closed with the dollar around 838 CUP and the euro at 930 CUP, consolidating a week of appreciation for the major foreign currencies against the Cuban peso.

The quoted prices are reference values calculated based on buying and selling posts on social media and digital platforms. They do not necessarily represent completed transactions and do not guarantee that everyone will be able to buy or sell currency at those prices.