SUDAN · ECONOMY
Key Facts
- —The country Sudan is a northeast African country where the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been at war since April 2023.
- —What happened On Wednesday 21 October 2026, dealers in Khartoum quoted the dollar at 10,105 Sudanese pounds (about US$1 each), Sudan Tribune reported.
- —Which rate All US$ figures use the street rate of 10,000 pounds per dollar, so 1,000 pounds (about US$0.10) buy little.
- —Bank rate Government banks still quote about 4,200 pounds per dollar, so the street price is roughly 2.4 times the bank price.
- —The trend The dollar traded near 8,000 pounds (about US$1 each) a month ago and 8,800 on 7 October, up about 15% in two weeks.
- —Why now Dealers and Sudan Tribune cite import demand, fuel buyers, higher customs charges and swings in gold prices, a main source of dollars.
- —Still open Whether the Bank of Sudan, the central bank, will move its own rate or act on the street market.
The Sudan pound fell past 10,000 to the US dollar on the parallel market on Wednesday 21 October 2026, a record low. Dealers in Khartoum sold the dollar at 10,105 pounds (about US$1 each), the Sudan Tribune news site reported in Arabic.
For US readers, the Sudan pound now trades at a price that shapes the real cost of aid, remittances and trade goods in Sudan. Banks still quote about 4,200 pounds per dollar, less than half the street price of about 10,000 pounds (about US$1).
What Dealers Charged in Khartoum
Sudan Tribune, a Sudanese news site, said dealers in Khartoum sold the dollar at 10,105 pounds (about US$1 each) on Wednesday. The same dealers sold the Saudi riyal at 2,645 pounds (about US$0.26) and the euro at 11,320 pounds (about US$1.13).
Another Arabic site, Azza Press, listed the dollar at 10,000 pounds (about US$1) to buy and 10,128 (about US$1.01) to sell. It noted that prices differ by trader, city and hour, so the figures are a guide.
A Pound With Two Prices
Al-Quds, an Arabic daily in Jerusalem, said banks stayed at 4,200 pounds per dollar, so 1,000 pounds (about US$0.24) buy under a quarter dollar. At the street rate of 10,000, those 1,000 pounds (about US$0.10) buy only a tenth.
Before the war began in April 2023, the dollar cost about 600 pounds (about US$1 each at the time), Al-Quds said. At the street rate the Sudan pound has lost about 94% of its dollar value since then.
Two Weeks of Steady Losses
Al-Quds said the Sudan pound lost about 20% in a month, from a dollar price near 8,000 pounds (about US$1 each). Rio Times reported the dollar at 8,800 pounds (about US$1 each) on Wednesday 7 October.
On Monday 19 October the customs office lifted its own fixed rate to 5,631.76 pounds per dollar, as Rio Times covered. That rate values 5,631.76 pounds (about US$0.56 at the street rate) as one dollar, still far below the street price.
Why the Dollar Keeps Climbing
Dealers told Sudan Tribune that importers and fuel companies are buying more dollars, and that officials offer no real fix for the currency market. They also blamed higher customs duties, taxes and fees, which they say deepen the shortage of hard currency.
Sudan Tribune added that gold, a main source of dollars for Sudan, has swung in price, which adds pressure. Al-Quds named smuggled gold, war spending and lost output as drains on the state’s foreign exchange.
What It Means for Households
A dealer told Sudan Tribune that people are buying dollars and other currencies to protect their savings, which adds to demand. The report said prices of basic goods and services have risen, which has deepened the cost of living.
Al-Quds said many families can no longer afford basic food, especially among displaced people. It also said officials have failed to curb rising prices as the war enters its fourth year.
What It Means for US Readers
Americans who send money to relatives in Sudan face two prices, as banks quote 4,200 pounds per dollar and dealers about 10,000 pounds (about US$1). The gap shows a market where official prices and real prices no longer meet.
US exporters, shipping firms and investors face the same split when they price goods or pay local staff in Sudan. A weaker Sudan pound also raises the risk of higher prices and hunger, which matters for US aid policy.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the Bank of Sudan, the central bank, will move its bank rate or act on the street market. Dealers say rates differ by city and by hour, so no single price holds across Sudan.
How long the Sudan pound stays near 10,000 depends on gold prices, fuel supply and the course of the war. Sudan Tribune’s dealers gave no forecast for the coming weeks.
More: Sudan news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Sudanese pounds buy one US dollar now?
On the parallel market, dealers in Khartoum sold the dollar at 10,105 pounds (about US$1 each) on Wednesday 21 October 2026. Banks still quote about 4,200 pounds per dollar.
What is the parallel market in Sudan?
It is the informal market where dealers trade foreign currency outside the banks. Its price is set by supply and demand rather than by the Bank of Sudan.
Which exchange rate does this article use?
The US$ figures use the parallel rate of 10,000 pounds per dollar, so 1,000 pounds (about US$0.10) buy a tenth of a dollar. The bank rate of 4,200 is given only for comparison.
Why is the Sudan pound falling?
Dealers cite strong demand for dollars from importers and fuel firms, higher customs charges and unsteady gold earnings. The war since April 2023 has also cut output and dollar income.
Does the fall affect people who send money to Sudan?
Senders who use street dealers get more pounds per dollar than at banks, but prices for food and fuel rise too. The real value of each transfer depends on how fast local prices follow the dollar.
Sources: Sudan Tribune (Arabic), 21 October 2026; Azza Press (Arabic), 21 October 2026; Al-Quds (Arabic), 21 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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