DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Dominican peso has reached its strongest level against the U.S. dollar in over a year, a trend driven by recent sovereign bond issuances and robust inflows from the tourism and remittance sectors.

According to data from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) and reporting by Diario Libre, the exchange rate dropped by 37 cents on Wednesday, 18 March 2026, closing at RD$59.08 (down from RD$59.45 the previous day). Central Bank historical data shows the major downward trend actually accelerated following the bond announcement in late January 2026.

Factors driving the appreciationEconomists interviewed by Diario Libre highlight a combination of fiscal strategy and strong external sector performance:Sovereign Debt Issuance: Economist Henrys Espinal attributes the March decline primarily to the influx of foreign currency from the government’s bond sale. He anticipates relative stability...