US dollar eases below 160,000 IQD across Baghdad, Erbil, and Basra

Packs of Iraqi dinars and a person counting a pack of US dollars. Photo: NRT Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The U.S. dollar experienced a slight retreat across parallel currency exchanges in Iraq on Sunday, September 20, 2026, dipping marginally below the 160,000-dinar mark recorded over the weekend while continuing to trade at a substantial premium above the official state benchmark. According to market data, parallel bureaus across major trading hubs posted quotes well above the Central Bank of Iraq’s (CBI) official rate of 131,000 dinars per $100. In the capital city of Baghdad, exchange bureaus quoted selling rates at 159,750 dinars per $100, with buying rates settling at 159,000 dinars. Trading across northern financial desks in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, reflected a slightly softer posture, posting selling prices of 158,700 dinars per $100 against buying levels of 158,250 dinars. In the southern economic hub of Basra, rates closely aligned with northern counters, recording 159,000 dinars for sale and 158,500 dinars for purchase. While the day’s trades reflect a fractional cooling of roughly 250 to 950 dinars compared to Saturday’s peak surges, currency desks continue to price in significant liquidity risk. The persistent spread between the parallel exchanges and the statutory peg highlights ongoing domestic cash-flow constraints and defensive trading behavior among market participants ahead of the critical September 30 deadline.