Climate Impact X (CIX), a Singapore-based global marketplace for carbon credits, has launched a new series of standardized contracts for nature-based carbon removal credits.
Validated through industry consultation, the latest physical spot contracts will enable market participants to trade and price the most liquid and relevant segments of the afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (ARR) market today.
The first carbon removals contract series to launch on CIX Exchange will initially comprise two tradeable contracts based on geographical coverage: CIX ARR X (CAX), which is a basket of 12 global ARR projects, and CIX ARR X – China (CAX-C), consisting of China projects issued by Verra.
By close of trading on April 4, 10,000 tonnes of carbon credits had traded and cleared on CIX ARR X contracts. On screen, a total of 21,000 tonnes were bid and offered with a spread of around 40 US cents. Assessed prices for the CAX and CAX-C benchmarks were US$13.10 and US$4.36 per tonne, respectively.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), all pathways to limit global warming to 1.5°C involves the use of carbon removals. Around half of these efforts can be supported by natural climate solutions, with ARR projects making up the majority.
While retirements of ARR credits with considerable co-benefits reached an all-time high in January 2024, the variance and opacity in pricing alongside liquidity fragmentation continue to be major barriers to broader market participation.
More efficient, transparent ARR market
CIX ARR X contracts are designed to be precise enough to give buyers confidence and certainty in the projects delivered, while remaining broad enough for ample liquidity and to give sellers optionality.
“Contract standardization plays a key role in enhancing the functionality of carbon markets by addressing challenges such as illiquidity, delivery certainty and pricing opacity,” says CIX head of exchange Ellery Sutanto.
“Our decision to launch CIX ARR X is backed by global demand for nature-based removal projects, with Europe and Asia-Pacific being the biggest retirees of ARR credits. By concentrating trading activity, we are building a deeper, more efficient and transparent ARR market – all of which are critical ingredients for scaling investment, confidence and new participants in carbon markets.”
To generate shaper and more transparent market prices, CIX will leverage its signature on-exchange spot pricing session to concentrate ARR trading activity within a weekly 30-minute window every Thursday.
Taking place at the intersection of Asian and European time zones, this not only helps to pool liquidity from some of the most active ARR markets to generate more order depth, but also build market-driven price benchmarks, CIX says.
