US dollar climbs to 156,000 IQD in Baghdad and Erbil

Packs of US dollars and Iraqi dinars. Photo: Pukmedia Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Parallel market exchange rates for the U.S. dollar against the Iraqi Dinar (IQD) climbed on Monday morning, September 7, 2026, across wholesale bourses and retail exchange bureaus in Baghdad and Erbil. Wholesale trading in Baghdad’s benchmark Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya bourses opened at 155,600 IQD per $100 USD, gaining 700 IQD compared to Sunday’s session (154,900 IQD per $100). The wholesale rise pushed Baghdad retail selling rates to 156,000 IQD per $100 USD, maintaining a wide divergence above the Central Bank of Iraq’s (CBI) official exchange rate of 131,000 IQD per $100 (1,310 IQD per $1 USD). Market Dynamics and Benchmark Premium Baghdad Retail Breaks 156,000 IQD: Street-level currency exchange bureaus across the capital set retail selling quotes at 156,000 IQD per $100, widening the parallel market premium over the official central bank peg to 25,000 IQD per $100 (~19.08%). Sharper Uptick in Erbil: Erbil registered a 1,000-dinar rise from Sunday’s trading ceiling (154,500 IQD), with selling rates reaching 155,500 IQD. Tight Wholesale Margins in Erbil: Kurdish bourses operated with a narrow bid-ask gap of just 100 IQD (selling at 155,500 against buying at 155,400), reflecting heightened liquidity velocity and rapid dollar inventory turnover among wholesale dealers.