Exchange Rates for October 21: Dollar in Exchange Offices Rises to 45.25 UAH, Bank Quotes Diverge

On Wednesday, October 21, Ukrainian banks and currency exchange offices updated their purchase and selling rates for foreign currency. Looking at the cash market as a whole, both the US dollar and the euro showed a moderate increase compared to the previous business day. Within banking networks, the picture turned out to be mixed: quotes declined in some institutions, rose in others, and remained unchanged in a third group. The difference between the cheapest and most expensive dollar selling rates in branches and apps of key banks reaches several dozens of kopecks, making the choice of exchange platform practically significant for large amounts.

Exchange Offices: Dollar and Euro Rising

According to Minfin service data, as of October 21, exchange offices are buying the dollar at an average of 45.10 UAH — 4 kopecks higher than on October 20. The selling rate for the US currency also rose, but slightly slower — by 3 kopecks, to 45.25 UAH. The European currency added more strength: exchange offices buy the euro at 50.90 UAH (+10 kopecks) and sell it at 51.10 UAH (+10 kopecks). Thus, on the cash market, both main currencies are quoted higher than yesterday's levels, while the spread between buying and selling remains within 15 kopecks for the dollar and 20 kopecks for the euro.

PrivatBank and Oschadbank: Quotes Move in Opposite Directions

At PrivatBank, the dollar is sold in branches at 45.20 UAH — 5 kopecks cheaper than on October 20, while the card selling rate remained unchanged at 45.24 UAH. At the same time, the bank buys the dollar from clients in branches at 44.60 UAH and for cards at 44.75 UAH; both purchase rates decreased by 5 kopecks. The euro is sold in PrivatBank branches at 50.90 UAH (−10 kopecks), and for cards at 51.02 UAH (unchanged). Euro purchases in branches fell to 49.90 UAH (−10 kopecks), and for cards to 50.23 UAH (−9 kopecks). At Oschadbank, the dynamics are reversed: in «Mobile Oschad», the dollar is sold at 45.30 UAH (+5 kopecks), for cards at 45.50 UAH (+5 kopecks), and bought in the app at 44.95 UAH and for cards at 44.90 UAH (both rates +5 kopecks). Oschadbank euro rates remained unchanged: selling at 50.90 UAH in the app and 51.05 UAH for cards, buying at 50.30 UAH and 50.20 UAH respectively.

PUMB and Monobank: Betting on Stability

At PUMB, the dollar in cash exchange is sold at 45.40 UAH and bought at 44.80 UAH; under the commercial rate, buying is 44.90 UAH and selling is 45.40 UAH. All these values match the level of October 20. The euro in PUMB cash exchange is sold at 51.00 UAH and bought at 50.30 UAH — also unchanged. At Monobank, the dollar is sold at 45.23 UAH and bought at 44.83 UAH, which is identical to yesterday's quotes. For the euro, the purchase remained at 50.30 UAH, while the selling rate increased slightly by 2 kopecks to 51.01 UAH.

Where It Is More Profitable to Buy and Sell Currency Today

Among the banks reviewed, PrivatBank offers the lowest dollar selling rate in its branches at 45.20 UAH. For cards of this bank, the US currency costs 45.24 UAH, at Monobank — 45.23 UAH, in «Mobile Oschad» — 45.30 UAH, at PUMB — 45.40 UAH, and for Oschadbank cards — 45.50 UAH. The euro is cheapest to buy in PrivatBank branches and in «Mobile Oschad» at 50.90 UAH; followed by PUMB (51.00 UAH) and Monobank (51.01 UAH), while for PrivatBank and Oschadbank cards the rate is 51.02 and 51.05 UAH respectively. It is most profitable to sell the dollar at Oschadbank via «Mobile Oschad» at 44.95 UAH; at PUMB under the commercial rate and at Oschadbank for cards — at 44.90 UAH; at Monobank — at 44.83 UAH; at PUMB for cash exchange — at 44.80 UAH; at PrivatBank — at 44.75 UAH for cards and 44.60 UAH in branches. It is more profitable to sell the euro in «Mobile Oschad», at PUMB for cash exchange, and at Monobank — at 50.30 UAH, whereas in PrivatBank branches the purchase rate is only 49.90 UAH.

Context: What Forecasts Say for the Rest of the Year

Current quotes fit into the baseline scenario previously voiced by bankers: according to Serhii Mamedov, Vice President of the Association of Ukrainian Banks and Chairman of the Management Board of Globus Bank, in the second half of 2026, the dollar exchange rate is expected in the corridor of 45.5–46.5 UAH, and the euro at 52.5–53.5 UAH, while a sharp uncontrolled depreciation of the hryvnia is considered unlikely. The Budget Declaration for 2027–2029 projects an exchange rate of about 45.8 UAH/USD by the end of 2026. Thus, today's values around 45.2–45.5 UAH per dollar and 50.9–51.1 UAH per euro are at the lower end of the forecast range. This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice; before making decisions on currency exchange and storage, it is recommended to check current quotes of a specific institution and consult a licensed financial advisor.