Banks sell dollar at more than 8.600 BYR

Banks offer the exchange rate higher than the official  one by 200 rubles.

Currency exchange offices sell the dollar at minimum 8.520 Belarusian rubles today, September 24. The exchange rate of the National Bank on Monday's trading was 8.450 rubles per dollar. Some banks sell the dollar at a far higher rate – the maximum selling price today was 8.630 rubles, which is 180 rubles higher than the official exchange rate, Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi newspaper writes.

“There are no restrictions for exchange officers regarding the exchange rate. It is a decision of banks at what price they sell and buy foreign currency,” a commercial bank representative explains. “This high rate is a singular event. Some banks decided to earn on people's expectations. The more the difference between the rate on the exchange market and in exchange offices, the more the bank earns. Sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate can hardly be expected. Creeping devaluation is possible, but it will be insignificant.”

Banks buy the dollar at a price slightly exceeding the official exchange rate: most currency exchange offices in Minsk buy the dollar at 8.450 – 8.470 rubles. The highest rate was 8.500 rubles.