How to Send Money to Cuba From the US in 2026: Legal Options, Fees and New OFAC Rules
Yes, you can still legally send money to family in Cuba from the United States in 2026, and there is no dollar cap on remittances to close relatives. What changed is the plumbing. Western Union has been out of Cuba since February 2025, Visa and Mastercard stopped working on the island in June 2026, and a Treasury rule that took effect on September 30, 2026, bars Americans from routing money through any company on the State Department’s Cuba Restricted List, directly or indirectly.
In practice, that rules out the channels run by Cuba’s military-owned conglomerate GAESA, including Fincimex, the Clásica prepaid card and Orbit. Below are the rules that apply to you, the options still open to US senders, what they cost and how to check that a service is not quietly routing your money through a sanctioned company.
Updated October 19, 2026
Sending Money to Cuba at a Glance
| Question | Short answer (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Is it legal for Americans? | Yes, under the remittance license in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (31 CFR 515.570) |
| Limit for family remittances | No dollar cap since June 9, 2022 |
| Who can receive | Close relatives, plus other Cuban nationals who are not “prohibited officials” |
| Western Union | Suspended since February 2025 |
| Clásica card, Fincimex, Orbit, Tocopay | Off-limits for US senders: they involve restricted GAESA entities |
| Still-working routes | Licensed US agencies that deliver cash or pay into Cuban bank accounts, carrying cash yourself, peer-to-peer apps (with caveats) |
| Typical cash-delivery fee | About $12 per $100 (Cubamax, February 2026) |
| New US tax | 1% on transfers you pay for in cash, money order or cashier’s check (since January 1, 2026) |
What the September 30, 2026 Rule Changed
On September 30, 2026, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) amended the Cuban Assets Control Regulations. It did not ban family remittances. Cuban and US outlets that reported a “remittance ban” got that part wrong.
Here is what did change for people sending money:
- Indirect dealings are now banned too. Before, Americans could not deal directly with an entity on the Cuba Restricted List. Now the ban also covers acting as an intermediary or “participating in a transfer of funds” where a listed entity is on either end. The rule states that collecting, forwarding or receiving a remittance that involves a listed entity is not authorized.
- An anti-evasion clause. Any transaction whose purpose or effect is to get around those restrictions is also prohibited.
- “U-turn” transfers are gone. US banks can no longer process dollar transfers involving Cuba that start and end outside the United States. They must reject them.
- No more US accounts for Cuban entrepreneurs. US banks can no longer hold accounts in the sole name of a Cuban private-sector business owner, and existing ones must be blocked.
OFAC’s alert on the expanded sanctions confirms that a general license issued on May 7, 2026, still covers family remittances and the delivery of food, medicine and medical devices. That license exists because the government sanctioned GAESA itself under Executive Order 14404 on May 1, 2026.
Who Can Send and Who Can Receive
Senders
Anyone “subject to US jurisdiction” who is 18 or older can send remittances. That includes US citizens and permanent residents wherever they are, and anyone physically in the United States.
Close relatives: no cap
The $1,000-per-quarter limit on family remittances was removed on June 9, 2022, according to OFAC’s FAQ on that amendment, and no later rule brought it back. Under 31 CFR 515.339, a close relative is anyone related to you by blood, marriage or adoption who is no more than three generations removed from you or from a common ancestor. That covers parents, grandparents, children, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws.
Family remittances cannot be sent “for emigration purposes.” Money to help a relative leave Cuba falls under a separate set of rules.
Non-relatives (donative remittances)
You can also send money to Cuban nationals who are not family, such as a friend, a church or a small business owner, as long as they are not prohibited officials. The OFAC FAQ text we reviewed does not list a dollar cap for these. If you plan to send large amounts to non-relatives, check the current text of 515.570(b) first.
Who cannot receive
Remittances to “prohibited officials” are not authorized. Under 31 CFR 515.337 and 515.338, that list includes:
- Ministers and vice-ministers, and members of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers
- Members and employees of the National Assembly and provincial assemblies
- Employees of the Interior Ministry (MININT) and the Armed Forces Ministry (MINFAR)
- Local chiefs of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR)
- Senior officials of the official labor union (CTC) and senior editors at state media
- Members and employees of the Supreme Court
- Members of the Communist Party’s Politburo
A relative who works as a nurse, teacher or clerk in a state job is not a prohibited official.
Which Channels Are Closed to US Senders
Western Union
Western Union suspended its US–Cuba service in February 2025 after the State Department brought back the Cuba Restricted List. The State Department also added Orbit S.A., the Cuban company that paid out Western Union transfers on the island, effective March 10, 2025. As of October 2026, we found no sign that the service has returned.
Fincimex, the Clásica card and Tocopay
Fincimex is the GAESA financial company behind the Clásica prepaid card (a dollar-only card used at state stores) and the Tocopay top-up website. In April 2026, it also began paying out cash remittances in dollars at Cadeca (the state currency exchange) offices. All of these run through GAESA, so a US sender who uses them risks breaking the restricted-entity rules, which since September 30 also cover indirect transactions. Fonmoney, a remittance company, dropped Clásica and AIS card top-ups after GAESA was sanctioned in May 2026.
Our earlier look at Tocopay’s fees and delays was written before these sanctions, and it no longer reflects the legal picture for US senders.
Card payments in Cuba
Fincimex suspended all Visa and Mastercard transactions in Cuba on June 3, 2026, after a foreign bank cut ties with it. US-issued cards had never worked on the island anyway. Our guide to Cuban currency and which cards still work covers what visitors and families can use.
Bank-to-bank wires from the US
US banks cannot simply wire money to a Cuban bank account for you. With the U-turn license gone, routing a dollar transfer through a third-country bank is no longer an option either.
Ways to Send Money to Cuba That Still Work
Licensed US remittance agencies (cash delivery)
The biggest change on the Cuban side came on December 30, 2025. Cuba’s Central Bank authorized Cubamax Travel Inc. (in Spanish), a company based in Hialeah, Florida, to send remittances and deliver cash to recipients in Cuban pesos (CUP) or in foreign currency. The license replaced Cubamax’s earlier setup through Orbit. Cubamax says it holds a Florida money transmitter license.
Home delivery has been uneven because of Cuba’s fuel shortage. In late February 2026, Cubamax resumed home deliveries in the west of the island and raised its fee (in Spanish) from $10 to $12 per $100 sent. The western provinces were Pinar del Río, Havana, Artemisa, Mayabeque and Matanzas. Check current coverage before you send.
Online transfer services
Some online services say they offer cash delivery, transfers to Cuban bank accounts and Cubacel phone top-ups. Fonmoney is one, according to its own June 2026 information. Fees and delivery times change often, and companies do not always publish them. Before your first transfer, ask the questions in our checklist below.
Carrying cash yourself
If you or someone you trust is traveling to Cuba, carrying cash is still the most direct option. Two thresholds matter:
- Leaving the US: if you carry more than $10,000 in currency or monetary instruments, you must file FinCEN Form 105 with US Customs and Border Protection.
- Entering Cuba: cash above the equivalent of $5,000 must be declared on arrival, as explained in our Cuban currency guide. Our Cuba customs rules guide covers what else you can bring.
Bring clean bills. Cashiers in Cuba often reject worn, torn or marked notes.
Peer-to-peer and crypto apps
Many Cubans use QvaPay, a digital wallet with a dollar-pegged balance and peer-to-peer trading, to receive money from abroad. QvaPay has argued publicly that it processes remittances under the OFAC license, but OFAC has not confirmed that position. These apps also expose your relative to price swings and to scams in the peer-to-peer market. If you use one, send small amounts first.
What It Costs
| Option | What you pay | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Cubamax cash delivery | $12 per $100 (February 2026) | Home delivery depends on the province and fuel supply |
| Other online agencies | Varies; often not published | The exchange rate can hide part of the cost |
| Carrying cash | Travel costs only | FinCEN 105 above $10,000; Cuban declaration above $5,000 |
| P2P / crypto apps | Low or no app fees, according to the apps | Volatility, scams, unclear OFAC status |
| Any transfer paid in cash, money order or cashier’s check | Plus a 1% US federal excise tax | Paying with a US bank account or US-issued card avoids it |
The 1% remittance tax
Since January 1, 2026, a 1% federal excise tax under Section 4475 of the tax code applies to international transfers you fund with cash, a money order, a cashier’s check or a similar physical instrument. It was created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The provider collects it when you send. Transfers funded from a US bank account or with a US-issued debit or credit card are exempt. On a $500 transfer paid in cash, that is an extra $5.
Exchange rates
If your relative receives pesos, the exchange rate matters more than the fee. In mid-October 2026, Cuba’s official floating rate for individuals was about 702 CUP per dollar, while the informal street rate was close to 790. Ask the agency whether delivery is in dollars or pesos, and at what rate. Our Cuban currency guide is updated with current figures.
How to Send Money to Cuba, Step by Step
- Confirm the recipient qualifies. Make sure they are a close relative, or a Cuban national who is not a prohibited official.
- Choose how they will receive it: cash at home, cash at a pickup point or a deposit into a Cuban bank account. Cash in dollars is usually the most useful form on the island right now.
- Check the payout chain. Ask the provider who pays the money out in Cuba. If the answer involves Fincimex, CIMEX, Orbit, the Clásica card, AIS or a Cadeca dollar payout, do not use it.
- Get the recipient’s details: full name as it appears on their Cuban ID card (carné de identidad), a full street address and a phone number.
- Pay with a US bank account or US-issued card if possible, to avoid the 1% excise tax.
- Keep your receipts. Save every confirmation in case your bank or OFAC asks questions later.
- Start small. Send a test amount before sending hundreds of dollars through a new service.
How to Tell If a Service Touches a Restricted Entity
This is the question most English-language guides skip. The September 2026 rule makes it your problem as well as the company’s. Before you send, ask the provider these four questions in writing:
- Who delivers the money in Cuba? A licensed private agency with its own couriers is different from a payout through a GAESA company.
- Which Cuban entity holds the funds before delivery? If the answer is Fincimex, CIMEX, Orbit or any GAESA company, walk away.
- Is the payout to a Clásica or AIS card? Both are linked to Fincimex.
- Does the company publish an OFAC compliance statement? Reputable firms will tell you which authorization they rely on.
A vague answer, or “don’t worry, everyone does it,” is your answer. The September rule also bans transactions designed to evade the restrictions. A middleman who promises to “clean” a GAESA route through a third country puts you at risk.
Scams to Avoid
- WhatsApp and Facebook “mulas.” Couriers who carry cash to Cuba advertise in Telegram and Facebook groups. Some deliver and some disappear with the money. Use only people you or your family know personally, and tell your relative exactly what amount to expect.
- Too-good exchange rates. A rate well above the street rate is bait.
- Fake agency websites and pages that copy real companies’ names. Type the company’s address yourself instead of following ads.
- Requests to pay with gift cards or crypto to a stranger “for a faster delivery.”
Practical Tips From Families Who Send Money
- Send less, more often. If a delivery goes wrong, you lose less.
- Ask your relative what they actually need. Food and medicine can sometimes reach them faster through online stores that deliver in Cuba than cash can.
- Cubacel phone credit is cheap and useful. See our notes on Cubacel recharge promotions.
- During blackouts, couriers and bank offices slow down. Add a few days to any promised delivery time.
Alternatives to Sending Cash
If the cash route looks too risky or too expensive, you can send goods instead. Many families now buy food, generators and medicine through online stores for Cuba, checking first that the store is not tied to GAESA. If you travel, our customs guide explains what you can bring in your luggage and what you will pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to send money to Cuba from the US in 2026?
Yes. Family remittances and donative remittances to Cubans who are not prohibited officials remain authorized. The September 30, 2026 rule did not ban them. It banned routing them through entities on the Cuba Restricted List.
How much money can I send to Cuba?
There is no dollar limit on remittances to close relatives. That cap was removed in June 2022. You must report cash above $10,000 when leaving the US, and Cuba requires a declaration above $5,000.
Is Western Union working in Cuba?
No. Western Union suspended its US–Cuba service in February 2025, after its Cuban payout partner, Orbit S.A., was put on the Cuba Restricted List. We found no sign of a restart as of October 2026.
Can I still top up a Clásica card from the US?
Not without legal risk. The Clásica card is run by Fincimex, a GAESA company. Since September 30, 2026, US persons are barred even from indirect financial transactions with restricted entities.
Can I use Zelle, PayPal or Venmo to send money to Cuba?
We found no US payment app that delivers money in Cuba, and US-issued cards do not work on the island. Use one of the routes above instead.
What is the cheapest way to send money to Cuba?
Carrying cash yourself or through a trusted traveler costs nothing beyond the trip. Among agencies, fees of around $10 to $12 per $100 are common for cash delivery. Check the exchange rate as well, because it often costs more than the fee.
Do I have to pay the 1% remittance tax?
Only if you pay for the transfer with cash, a money order or a cashier’s check. Transfers funded from a US bank account or with a US-issued card are exempt.
Can I send money to a relative who works for the Cuban government?
Usually yes. Most state workers, such as doctors, teachers and clerks, are not prohibited officials. The ban covers senior officials, Interior and Armed Forces Ministry employees, CDR chiefs, Politburo members and a few other groups.
Can I send money to a Cuban small business owner?
Donative remittances to Cuban nationals who are not prohibited officials are allowed. However, US banks can no longer hold accounts in the sole name of a Cuban private entrepreneur after September 30, 2026.
How long does a cash delivery take?
It depends on the agency and the province. Fuel shortages and blackouts have caused delays of several days, and home delivery is not available everywhere.
This guide was updated on October 19, 2026, after OFAC’s September 30, 2026 amendment to the Cuban Assets Control Regulations. Sources include the Federal Register, OFAC’s FAQs and alerts, USA.gov, and reporting by CBS News, 14ymedio and CubaNet. This article is general information, not legal advice. For large or unusual transfers, consult an attorney who handles OFAC compliance.
