KES black market rate on Oct 19, 2026: 129.51 per USD
On Monday, October 19, 2026, the US dollar traded at about 129.51 KES on Kenya's parallel (black) market at the close of observations so far. The day opened at 127.15 KES, reached a high of 129.52 and a low of 126.83, a trading range of 2.69 KES (2.12%).
Across 130 observations, the average price to buy dollars was 128.72 KES and the average price received when selling dollars was 130.04 KES. Over the session the Kenyan Shilling weakened against the dollar (+1.85% from open to close).
Official rate vs black market rate on Oct 19, 2026
The official exchange rate published for Kenya on this date was 129.79 KES per USD. The parallel-market close of 129.51 KES therefore implied a premium of -0.22% over the official rate — a narrow gap, indicating the two markets were close to converged.
How Oct 19, 2026 compares
Compared with the previous observed day (Oct 18, 2026, close 127.38 KES), the rate moved +1.67%.
One week earlier (Oct 12, 2026) the close was 128.5 KES, so the weekly change was +0.78%.
Thirty days earlier (Sep 19, 2026) the close was 128.26 KES, a +0.97% 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 Oct 19, 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 Oct 19, 2026?
- The USD to KES parallel market rate closed at approximately 129.51 KES per US dollar on Monday, October 19, 2026, after trading between 126.83 and 129.52 KES.
- How much did the KES move against the dollar that day?
- From an open of 127.15 to a close of 129.51 KES, the parallel rate moved +1.85% on Oct 19, 2026.
- What was the gap between the official and black market KES rate on that date?
- The official rate was 129.79 KES per USD versus a parallel close of 129.51 KES, a premium of -0.22%.
- Was the KES black market rate higher or lower than the day before?
- Higher: the previous observed close was 127.38 KES on Oct 18, 2026, a change of +1.67%.
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.