Cuba's Informal Currency Market Sees Dollar and Euro Surge

The informal currency market in Cuba has seen significant increases in both the dollar and euro over the past week, with the U.S. dollar reaching its highest point in the last 30 days.

At 8:00 PM local time on Friday, September 18, 2026, the dollar ended at an average rate of 706 Cuban pesos (CUP), while the euro closed at 805 CUP, making it the most expensive currency in Cuba's parallel market.

The upward trend continues to exert pressure on the purchasing power of Cubans as the week draws to a close. The gap between the official and informal rates is significant, with the dollar at 39 pesos and the euro at 40 pesos below its practical value in the informal market.