CUC and CUP - Unifying Cuba's Two Currencies

 

From the 1st of January 2021 Cuba will begin a transition period. Where the country has until now used two currencies, CUC and CUP, from the beginning of 2021 only CUP will be used for all transactions. All individuals who have CUC will be able to exchange CUC for CUP during the first half of the year. 

Because of these changes, ETECSA will also be changing the currency received by your contacts when you send a mobile top-up or nauta. Until now, your contacts have been receiving recargas and nauta in CUC, but from the 1st of January they will receive the same amount, but in CUP. 

 

Since we launched recargas, we have always believed that there shouldn't be a fee - you should always get all you pay for. In this regard, nothing has changed! Rebtel continues to offer mobile top-ups with no commission!.Your top ups to Cuba with Rebtel will also be in CUP, with the following correspondence of currency: 

 

1 USD = 22.79 CUP

1 EUR = 27.61 CUP

1 GBP = 31.02 CUP

1 AUD = 17.61 CUP

*adjusted for the changes of the 18th of January

 

For example: A top-up that costs 20 USD right now sends 20 CUC to your contact in Cuba. From the 18th of January the price will be 21.95 USD and your contact in Cuba will instead receive 500 CUP. (500 / 22.79 = 21.95)

 

Bonus credit from the promo periods will also be in CUP instead of CUC. During the first few months of 2021 we will display both CUC and CUP amounts so that you have a point of reference, and can know what your contact will receive, but the credit we send will be in CUP. 

The minimum top-up will be 250 CUP and the maximum 1250 CUP. The minimum top-up to receive bonus credit during promo periods will be 500 CUP. 

 

As always, you will be able to send nauta to top up the permanent national and international web surfing account of your contact in Cuba by sending a nauta to their nauta address. 

Your contact will also be able to use the sent credit to pay the monthly fee for their nauta hogar, but only if the topped up account is the access account that is associated with the link for the nauta hogar service. 

We have been able to confirm that the prices set by ETECSA for international surfing will go from 0.7 CUC / hr to 17.5 CUP / hour, and, for national surviving, form 0.10 CUC / hr to 2.5 CUP /hr.  

For nauta, the minimum and maximum top-ups will be the same, that is, 250 CUP minimum and 1250 CUP maximum. 

 

ETECSA will be performing maintenance on the 1st of January, most likely from 00:00 to 06:00, to implement these changes. No top-up or nauta purchases will be processed during this time. All of the remaining CUC credit on your Cuban contact’s account, including both primary and bonus credit, will be converted into CUP during this maintenance period.