"We quickly learned about the USD exchange rate disparity at the bank versus the street. (1 USD = ~31 EGP at the bank but 37 EGP on the street). This disparity steadily increased during our two-month stay, 41 EGP ➝ 43 EGP ➝ 48 EGP. Economic issues causing this included capital controls, a USD shortage, inflation, and more. This street rate reached as high as 70 EGP in 2024. As an Egyptian, this meant walking into a bank and not having access to USD or only a limited amount, your credit card could be restricted to foreign usage and ATMs had low limits. During our stay, it was normal to encounter ATMs that were out of cash resulting in long lineups at other locations, a common sight in many cities."

Are you sure you were in Egypt? Wouldn't you be in Cuba?

That is the behavior in Cuba. Of course, with dollar accounts here, it can take months for you to be able to withdraw "your money" from the bank.