The Parallel Exchange Rate Problem: The World Bank’s Approach to Helping People in Developing Countries

The deterioration of economic conditions over the past few years and the growinghero_1140x500_exchange_rates.jpg depreciation pressures facing developing countries have led to a rise in the number of countries with active parallel currency markets.  Currently, around 24 emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) have active parallel currency markets. In at least 14 of them, the exchange rate premium—the difference between the official and the parallel rate—is a material problem, exceeding 10 percent (see the table).

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