US dollar edges up to 169,500 IQD in Baghdad and provincial exchanges

Packs of Iraqi dinars. Photo: Al-Ain News Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The exchange rate of the U.S. dollar against the Iraqi dinar edged upward across parallel retail and wholesale counters in Baghdad and major commercial hubs on Monday, October 19, 2026. The capital recorded an increase of 500 dinars per $100 compared to prior trading sessions, while regional desks in Erbil and Basra registered fractional gains of 50 dinars per $100. In Baghdad, licensed exchange shops and retail desks posted dollar cash selling quotes at 169,500 dinars per $100 against purchase bids of 168,500 dinars, reflecting persistent upward pressure in parallel liquidity channels. In Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, counters listed selling rates at 168,550 dinars per $100 with purchase transactions accepted at 168,000 dinars. Across the southern port province of Basra, foreign exchange desks closed the morning session at a selling price of 168,750 dinars per $100 against buying offers of 168,250 dinars. The current parallel figures sustain a pronounced gap above the official statutory cash rate mandated by the Central Bank of Iraq, which remains benchmarked at 152,000 dinars per $100. This continuous premium highlights elevated demand for physical banknotes among local commercial importers navigating foreign trade settlements outside the central electronic clearance window.