The informal currency market in Cuba wrapped up on Thursday, August 27, with divergent trends: the U.S. dollar climbed higher, while the euro saw a decline. Meanwhile, the Freely Convertible Currency (MLC) experienced a notable uptick, albeit with limited data available.
By 8:00 p.m. local time, the dollar (USD) had reached 670 Cuban pesos (CUP), a slight increase from the 669 CUP recorded at the previous day's close. Over the past week, the dollar has seen a steady increase, rising by 7 pesos from 663 CUP seven days earlier.
Euro's Decline After a Week of Highs
On the flip side, the euro (EUR) ended Thursday at 756 CUP, down from the 758 CUP of the day before. Despite this drop, the euro remains 86 pesos stronger than the dollar and has gained 6 CUP over the past week, having been valued at 750 CUP a week ago. The euro has fluctuated between 746 and 788 CUP over the last month, showcasing the ongoing volatility in Cuba's informal market.
MLC's Cautious Climb Amid Limited Data
The MLC saw the most significant movement, reaching an average value near 469 CUP, compared to 458 CUP the previous day. This increase of about 11 pesos within 24 hours should be viewed cautiously due to the limited trading volume observed, suggesting possible future adjustments.
Exchange Rates Summary for August 27, 2026
Dollar (USD) to CUP: 670 CUP. Euro (EUR) to CUP: 756 CUP. MLC to CUP: 469 CUP (indicative value with limited data). A disparity remains with the rates set by the Central Bank of Cuba for Segment III, which are 636 CUP per dollar and 741 CUP per euro. This results in a gap of 34 pesos per dollar and 15 pesos per euro between official and informal market values.
The ongoing demand for foreign currency, amidst inflation, low wages, and partial dollarization of the Cuban economy, continues to exert pressure on a market many Cubans rely on to safeguard their savings, travel, emigrate, import goods, or make specific purchases.
The CiberCuba Exchange Rate is an index of the informal market, created through the automated analysis of thousands of currency trading posts in Telegram and Facebook groups. The system filters out atypical offers and spam, weighs trades by recency, and calculates representative values updated multiple times a day.
Currency Conversion Table for August 27, 2026
USD to CUP:
- 1 USD = 670 CUP
- 5 USD = 3,350 CUP
- 10 USD = 6,700 CUP
- 20 USD = 13,400 CUP
- 50 USD = 33,500 CUP
- 100 USD = 67,000 CUP
EUR to CUP:
- 1 EUR = 756 CUP
- 5 EUR = 3,780 CUP
- 10 EUR = 7,560 CUP
- 20 EUR = 15,120 CUP
- 50 EUR = 37,800 CUP
- 100 EUR = 75,600 CUP
- 200 EUR = 151,200 CUP
Understanding Cuba's Informal Currency Market
Why is there a disparity between official and informal exchange rates in Cuba?
The disparity is primarily due to the high demand for foreign currency driven by inflation, low wages, and partial dollarization, which pushes many Cubans to the informal market for better rates.
How is the CiberCuba Exchange Rate determined?
The CiberCuba Exchange Rate is calculated through automated analysis of currency trading posts in social media groups, filtering out unusual offers and spam, and weighing trades by their recency to provide representative values.