LKR black market rate on Aug 20, 2026: 325 per USD
On Thursday, August 20, 2026, the US dollar traded at about 325 LKR on Sri Lanka's parallel (black) market at the close of observations. The day opened at 328.25 LKR, reached a high of 338.52 and a low of 324.15, a trading range of 14.38 LKR (4.43%).
Across 288 observations, the average price to buy dollars was 334.28 LKR and the average price received when selling dollars was 338.4 LKR. Over the session the Sri Lankan Rupee strengthened against the dollar (-0.99% from open to close).
Official rate vs black market rate on Aug 20, 2026
The official exchange rate published for Sri Lanka on this date was 331.14 LKR per USD. The parallel-market close of 325 LKR therefore implied a premium of -1.85% over the official rate — a narrow gap, indicating the two markets were close to converged.
How Aug 20, 2026 compares
Compared with the previous observed day (Aug 19, 2026, close 328.25 LKR), the rate moved -0.99%.
One week earlier (Aug 13, 2026) the close was 317.13 LKR, so the weekly change was +2.48%.
Thirty days earlier (Jul 21, 2026) the close was 338 LKR, a -3.85% move over the month.
How this daily figure is produced
ETCurrency samples Sri Lanka's USD/LKR 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 20, 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 Sri Lankan Rupee black market rate on Aug 20, 2026?
- The USD to LKR parallel market rate closed at approximately 325 LKR per US dollar on Thursday, August 20, 2026, after trading between 324.15 and 338.52 LKR.
- How much did the LKR move against the dollar that day?
- From an open of 328.25 to a close of 325 LKR, the parallel rate moved -0.99% on Aug 20, 2026.
- What was the gap between the official and black market LKR rate on that date?
- The official rate was 331.14 LKR per USD versus a parallel close of 325 LKR, a premium of -1.85%.
- Was the LKR black market rate higher or lower than the day before?
- Lower: the previous observed close was 328.25 LKR on Aug 19, 2026, a change of -0.99%.
Figures are aggregated parallel-market observations for Sri Lanka in UTC and are indicative only; they are not a quote to trade. See the full USD → Sri Lankan Rupee history or today's live rate.