Iraqi Dinar Slumps Against US Dollar in Regional Hubs
The US dollar exchange rates in Baghdad, Erbil, and Basra remained steady on August 31, 2026. The parallel market exchange rates showed a uniform selling price of 154,500 Iraqi dinars (IQD) per $100 USD across all three regional hubs.
This rate is significantly higher than the Central Bank of Iraq's official benchmark rate of 131,000 IQD per $100 (1,310 IQD per $1 USD). The parallel market reflects a premium of 23,500 IQD per $100 (~17.9%) above the CBI's exchange rate.
The trading dynamics in Baghdad maintained a tighter bid-ask spread of 500 dinars compared to 1,000-dinar spreads in Erbil and Basra, indicating stronger daily cash settlement liquidity in central exchange houses.