US Dollar Surges Past 156,000 Iraqi Dinars in Iraq's Parallel Market

The US dollar surged past 156,000 Iraqi dinars in Iraq's parallel market on September 9, 2026. According to pricing data, Baghdad led the market advance with retail selling rates hitting 156,500 IQD per $100 USD, marking a fresh intra-month high. Basra followed at 156,250 IQD per $100 USD, while Erbil breached the threshold to settle at 156,000 IQD per $100 USD.

All three regional bourses traded at an expanded premium above the Central Bank of Iraq's official statutory peg of 131,000 IQD per $100 (1,310 IQD per $1 USD). The widening parallel divergence in Baghdad pushed the premium to 25,500 IQD per $100 (~19.47%) over the official central bank rate.

Erbil registered a 500 IQD day-on-day gain on both bid and ask sides, rising from Tuesday's 155,500 IQD to touch 156,000 IQD. The regional margin disparities showed that Baghdad and Erbil operated with widened bid-ask spreads of 1,000 IQD, signaling heightened volatility and risk-pricing by exchange dealers.