KES black market rate on Aug 21, 2026: 128.18 per USD
On Friday, August 21, 2026, the US dollar traded at about 128.18 KES on Kenya's parallel (black) market at the close of observations. The day opened at 128 KES, reached a high of 128.85 and a low of 127.51, a trading range of 1.34 KES (1.05%).
Across 288 observations, the average price to buy dollars was 128.46 KES and the average price received when selling dollars was 128.83 KES. Over the session the Kenyan Shilling weakened against the dollar (+0.14% from open to close).
Official rate vs black market rate on Aug 21, 2026
The official exchange rate published for Kenya on this date was 129.44 KES per USD. The parallel-market close of 128.18 KES therefore implied a premium of -0.97% over the official rate — a narrow gap, indicating the two markets were close to converged.
How Aug 21, 2026 compares
Compared with the previous observed day (Aug 20, 2026, close 128 KES), the rate moved +0.14%.
One week earlier (Aug 14, 2026) the close was 128.23 KES, so the weekly change was -0.04%.
Thirty days earlier (Jul 22, 2026) the close was 128.73 KES, a -0.43% move over the month.
How this daily figure is produced
ETCurrency samples Kenya's USD/KES parallel market throughout the day from peer-to-peer stablecoin order books and, where available, community submissions. Each sample is filtered for outliers and aggregated into a single buy and sell quote; the figures above are the first, highest, lowest and last of those aggregated quotes for Aug 21, 2026 (UTC).
USDT peer-to-peer prices closely track cash dollar prices in most parallel markets but are not identical to them: payment-method fees, merchant margins and local demand for stablecoins can all add a few tenths of a percent.
Frequently asked questions
- What was the dollar to Kenyan Shilling black market rate on Aug 21, 2026?
- The USD to KES parallel market rate closed at approximately 128.18 KES per US dollar on Friday, August 21, 2026, after trading between 127.51 and 128.85 KES.
- How much did the KES move against the dollar that day?
- From an open of 128 to a close of 128.18 KES, the parallel rate moved +0.14% on Aug 21, 2026.
- What was the gap between the official and black market KES rate on that date?
- The official rate was 129.44 KES per USD versus a parallel close of 128.18 KES, a premium of -0.97%.
- Was the KES black market rate higher or lower than the day before?
- Higher: the previous observed close was 128 KES on Aug 20, 2026, a change of +0.14%.
Figures are aggregated parallel-market observations for Kenya in UTC and are indicative only; they are not a quote to trade. See the full USD → Kenyan Shilling history or today's live rate.