LAK black market rate on Jul 18, 2026: 22,660 per USD
On Saturday, July 18, 2026, the US dollar traded at about 22,660 LAK on Laos's parallel (black) market at the close of observations. The day opened at 22,603 LAK, reached a high of 22,802 and a low of 22,555, a trading range of 247.5 LAK (1.10%).
Across 288 observations, the average price to buy dollars was 22,708 LAK and the average price received when selling dollars was 22,996 LAK. Over the session the Lao Kip weakened against the dollar (+0.25% from open to close).
Official rate vs black market rate on Jul 18, 2026
The official exchange rate published for Laos on this date was 22,289 LAK per USD. The parallel-market close of 22,660 LAK therefore implied a premium of +1.67% over the official rate — a narrow gap, indicating the two markets were close to converged.
How Jul 18, 2026 compares
Compared with the previous observed day (Jul 17, 2026, close 22,603 LAK), the rate moved +0.25%.
One week earlier (Jul 11, 2026) the close was 22,260 LAK, so the weekly change was +1.80%.
Thirty days earlier (Jun 18, 2026) the close was 22,254 LAK, a +1.83% move over the month.
How this daily figure is produced
ETCurrency samples Laos's USD/LAK 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 Jul 18, 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 Lao Kip black market rate on Jul 18, 2026?
- The USD to LAK parallel market rate closed at approximately 22,660 LAK per US dollar on Saturday, July 18, 2026, after trading between 22,555 and 22,802 LAK.
- How much did the LAK move against the dollar that day?
- From an open of 22,603 to a close of 22,660 LAK, the parallel rate moved +0.25% on Jul 18, 2026.
- What was the gap between the official and black market LAK rate on that date?
- The official rate was 22,289 LAK per USD versus a parallel close of 22,660 LAK, a premium of +1.67%.
- Was the LAK black market rate higher or lower than the day before?
- Higher: the previous observed close was 22,603 LAK on Jul 17, 2026, a change of +0.25%.
Figures are aggregated parallel-market observations for Laos in UTC and are indicative only; they are not a quote to trade. See the full USD → Lao Kip history or today's live rate.