SLE black market rate on Aug 21, 2026: 24.05 per USD
On Friday, August 21, 2026, the US dollar traded at about 24.05 SLE on Sierra Leone's parallel (black) market at the close of observations. The day opened at 24.18 SLE, reached a high of 24.33 and a low of 24.05, a trading range of 0.28 SLE (1.16%).
Across 288 observations, the average price to buy dollars was 24.2 SLE and the average price received when selling dollars was 24.45 SLE. Over the session the Sierra Leonean Leone strengthened against the dollar (-0.54% from open to close).
Official rate vs black market rate on Aug 21, 2026
The official exchange rate published for Sierra Leone on this date was 24.59 SLE per USD. The parallel-market close of 24.05 SLE therefore implied a premium of -2.20% over the official rate — a discount to the official rate, which is unusual and often reflects thin or one-sided quotes.
How Aug 21, 2026 compares
Compared with the previous observed day (Aug 20, 2026, close 24.18 SLE), the rate moved -0.54%.
One week earlier (Aug 14, 2026) the close was 23.86 SLE, so the weekly change was +0.82%.
Thirty days earlier (Jul 22, 2026) the close was 23.97 SLE, a +0.33% move over the month.
How this daily figure is produced
ETCurrency samples Sierra Leone's USD/SLE 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 Sierra Leonean Leone black market rate on Aug 21, 2026?
- The USD to SLE parallel market rate closed at approximately 24.05 SLE per US dollar on Friday, August 21, 2026, after trading between 24.05 and 24.33 SLE.
- How much did the SLE move against the dollar that day?
- From an open of 24.18 to a close of 24.05 SLE, the parallel rate moved -0.54% on Aug 21, 2026.
- What was the gap between the official and black market SLE rate on that date?
- The official rate was 24.59 SLE per USD versus a parallel close of 24.05 SLE, a premium of -2.20%.
- Was the SLE black market rate higher or lower than the day before?
- Lower: the previous observed close was 24.18 SLE on Aug 20, 2026, a change of -0.54%.
Figures are aggregated parallel-market observations for Sierra Leone in UTC and are indicative only; they are not a quote to trade. See the full USD → Sierra Leonean Leone history or today's live rate.