[REVISION HISTORY]

Cuba expands private sector role and economic reforms

Updated 27 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-18 11:42 UTC → 2026-09-20 21:21 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Following the implementation of Decree 160 in August 2026, Cuba has continued to expand the role of the non-state sector through several new decree-laws. These measures aim to revitalize micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives, and self-employed workers by removing previous commercial limitations. Notably, the repeal of resolutions 56 and 18 allows wholesale trade to be based on the “will of the parties” rather than being strictly conditioned by state contractual relationships. To further reorganize internal, wholesale, and retail trade, the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN) has introduced Decrees 167 and 168, which allow for the creation of commercial chains and the “Neighborhood Market” (Mercado de Barrio) concept. Recent developments have introduced a comprehensive package of 176 economic and social measures. Under Decree-Laws 128 and 133, private companies may now employ more than 100 workers, engage in direct import and export operations, and associate directly with foreign capital. To manage monetary flow, Resolutions 102/2026 and 103/2026 established updated frameworks for foreign currency management, allowing individuals and legal entities to open foreign currency accounts without prior authorization from the Central Bank. In September 2026, the implementation of these reforms progressed with the establishment of new wholesale supply markets in Sancti Spíritus. Concurrently, the first private currency exchange, ADT 64, opened in Santa Clara. Operating as an MSME, the business offers exchange services for nine international currencies. Owner Arnel Matos Freire confirmed the venture is private, denying state ownership of a 30% stake. During its initial days, the establishment reported buying US dollars at 710 pesos and selling them at 730 pesos, a rate significantly higher than the official Cadeca rate of 664 pesos. Additional efforts to manage the economy include an inventory management fair organized by Cubanacán in Varadero, allowing facilities to exchange surplus products to offset tourism contraction.

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