Informal Exchange Rate in Angola (Kinguila)
Rates on Angola's informal currency market, commonly known as kinguila. Shown for information and comparison only.
Informal market rate
Collected on September 3, 2026
Unlike bank rates, informal market rates are not published by any institution: they are collected manually and can stay unchanged for several days. The date above shows the most recent collection.
What is kinguila?
Kinguila is the Angolan name for both the informal currency market and the people who work in it — traditionally women who buy and sell foreign currency in public spaces across the main cities, above all in Luanda, outside the formal banking system.
The informal market grew during periods when foreign currency was scarce in the banking system and individuals and small traders could not obtain it through formal channels. The rate reflects real demand for currency at that moment, which is why it often diverges from the Banco Nacional de Angola reference rate.
Street rate, parallel market and kinguila
The same market goes by several names depending on region and habit. Street rate — câmbio de rua in Portuguese — describes exchanging currency outside a bank counter. Parallel market is the phrasing most common in news and economic coverage. Kinguila is the popular Angolan term, referring both to the market and to the people who operate in it.
All of these refer to the same rate: the one applied outside the formal banking system. That is why the dollar or euro rate on the street differs from the Banco Nacional de Angola reference rate and from commercial bank rates. The figures on this page reflect that informal rate, with the collection date shown.
Kinguila and banks: why the rates differ
The informal rate is usually higher than the commercial banks' rate: selling foreign currency on the informal market normally yields more kwanzas per dollar or euro. That gap moves with how available foreign currency is in the banking system. See View bank rates for official bank rates and compare.
Legal framework
In Angola, currency operations fall under the Exchange Law (Lei n.º 5/97) and Banco Nacional de Angola regulation, which reserves currency exchange to licensed banks and exchange houses. cambio.ao does not broker, promote or facilitate informal market transactions: this information is published purely for information and comparison.
Frequently asked questions about kinguila
What is the kinguila rate today?
The rate on this page is the most recent collection from the informal market, with its date shown next to the values. Because these rates are not officially published, they can stay the same for several days.
Why does the kinguila rate differ from the bank rate?
Bank rates start from the Banco Nacional de Angola reference rate and are subject to regulation. The informal rate comes directly from supply and demand for currency, so it tends to be higher when foreign currency is scarce in the banking system.
Is kinguila legal in Angola?
Currency exchange operations are reserved to institutions licensed by the Banco Nacional de Angola under the Exchange Law (Lei n.º 5/97). The informal market operates outside that framework. This page is for information only.
How often do you update the kinguila rate?
Whenever a new collection can be made. Unlike bank rates, which are tracked hourly, the informal rate can take several days to change. The date of the most recent collection is always shown.
Are the street rate and kinguila the same thing?
Yes. Street rate, parallel market rate and kinguila are different names for the same informal currency market. The rate shown on this page is the same regardless of which term you searched for.