Cuban Informal Market Sees Dollar Surge, Euro Rises Amid Structural Shortages

The informal currency market in Cuba saw a noticeable upward trend on Monday, September 21, 2026. The U.S. dollar closed at 718 Cuban pesos (CUP), up from 713 CUP the previous day and 698 CUP a week ago. This represents a 2.9% increase over the past week.

The euro also rose, trading at 818 CUP, an increase of 2.5 pesos from the previous session. Over the last seven days, the European currency has risen by 23.5 pesos, a 3% increase.

The MLC (Moneda Libremente Convertible) closed around 504 CUP, but this figure is considered indicative due to low trading volume. The official exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Cuba remains far from the informal market value, with a gap of 49 pesos for the dollar and 51 pesos for the euro.