Carbonmark reported carbon offset prices ranging from $0.10 to $650 per tonne of CO₂e on its marketplace as of August 2026. Renewable energy credits traded under $3, forestry credits between $1 and $24, and durable removals from approximately $110. The platform allows fractional purchases starting at 0.001 tCO₂e and provides a publicly verifiable retirement certificate for each transaction. Carbonmark states that all retirements are traceable to the registry of origin, ensuring a permanent public record of credit usage.
New research published by the National University of Singapore identifies 42 million hectares of intact forest within Southeast Asian concessions, capable of releasing 1.2 gigatons of CO2 if cleared. The study indicates current carbon credit prices of $5-$12 per tonne are insufficient to incentivise conservation over commodity production. Researchers calculate carbon prices would need to reach $33-$1,677 per tonne to make conservation financially competitive. The findings suggest a broader mix of green finance and regulatory reforms are necessary, as carbon markets alone cannot protect these forests.
Rich Gilmore, CEO of Carbon Growth Partners, stated that the voluntary carbon market must scale 'hundreds of times' to address climate change, or it will become irrelevant. He highlighted that humans emit approximately 100,000 tonnes of CO2 every minute, requiring a daily emissions reduction of 20 million tonnes by 2030. Gilmore argued that achieving these targets necessitates an exponential increase in carbon market activity. He concluded that there is no scenario where the carbon market remains at its current size and still meets scientific climate goals.
Supercritical, a UK-based carbon removal marketplace, analysed the annual fourth-quarter surge in corporate carbon dioxide removal (CDR) procurement. The analysis found that delayed corporate purchases until Q4 create supply constraints and price spikes, with biochar credit prices increasing from $155 to $185 per tonne within months for the same project. This end-of-year demand is driven by annual emission reconciliations and remaining budget allocations. Supercritical recommends that buyers adopt multi-year offtake agreements earlier in the year to stabilise market access and avoid seasonal price premiums. This shift would also provide suppliers with predictable revenue streams to scale production.
AlliedOffsets released a report observing the soil carbon market's momentum in 2026, noting an increase in Core Carbon Principles (CCP)-approved issuances. The report indicates the buyer base grew from 80 in 2022 to 128 in 2026, including companies like Microsoft and Shell. Supply remains geographically concentrated, with India, Kenya, China, and Brazil dominating the near-term pipeline. Northern Rangelands Trust is identified as the largest issuer by a significant margin. Forecasted issuance is projected to peak in the early 2040s.
As of August 2026, voluntary carbon credit prices range from €5-10 per tonne for avoidance credits to over €500 for direct air capture, according to Regreener. Nature-based removal credits, such as afforestation and reforestation, trade between €7 and €24 per tonne, with premium projects reaching up to €60. Biochar credits are priced at €100-200 per tonne. The market is experiencing historical growth driven by regulatory pressures and corporate net-zero commitments, with high-integrity offsets in increasing demand. Compliance market prices for EU carbon permits are trading around €84 per tonne.
A survey by the Carbon Business Council, Bellwether Research, and Intage found that 56% of Japanese adults support public and private investment in atmospheric carbon removal after being informed about the mechanisms. The study, conducted among 1,061 adults, highlighted low initial public awareness of national decarbonisation mechanisms, with 58% unfamiliar with the GX-ETS. When educated, 70% supported capturing carbon from industrial sources and 57% favoured joint government-private sector leadership in carbon removal. These findings suggest that clear communication can generate public backing for carbon removal technologies in Japan. The survey aims to inform the transition of Japan's GX emissions trading system towards mandatory compliance.
A new study from MIT Sloan School of Management analysed over 7,200 voluntary carbon market transactions between 2018 and 2024, representing 11% of the global secondary market by value. The research found that buyer identity accounted for 62% of price variation, with prices for the same volume of reductions ranging from cents to over $100 per tonne. The 20 largest buyers paid 16% to 23% less than other market participants, and financial services and consumer goods companies paid 9% to 22% more than industrial manufacturers. The study also noted that projects with lower climate effectiveness, such as forest protection, sold at two to four times the price of more reliable technologies like waste management.
A survey of 25 large companies with net-zero commitments in the UK, Germany, France, and the US indicates a lack of near-term demand for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits. Conducted by Carbon Business Council and Bellwether Research, the study found companies view CDR as a future concern rather than a present procurement issue. Key factors contributing to this reluctance include a lack of detailed understanding of CDR for procurement and claims, and policy uncertainty. The findings suggest that current corporate intent alone is insufficient to scale high-quality CDR supply, prompting calls for policy intervention.
Regreener has identified five German carbon credit projects as top recommendations for 2026, citing their verifiable registry listings, independent quality signals, and documented buyers. The projects include Novocarbo (Puro.earth biochar), Neustark (Puro.earth and Gold Standard mineralisation), MoorFutures (peatland rewetting), ZeroEx (Isometric-validated enhanced rock weathering), and Klim Soil+ (ISO 14064-2 soil carbon, with a Verra project in development). These projects align with the EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework and cater to corporate buyers seeking audit-defensible, locally verifiable credits. Germany is highlighted as the most active carbon credit market in continental Europe in 2026, driven by innovation and strict regulatory oversight.
Carbon offtake agreements reached approximately €12.25 billion in value in 2025, significantly exceeding the €1.04 billion value of spot market retirements, according to Regreener. These long-term contracts, typically spanning 5 to 15 years, secure future credit supply and price certainty for buyers, while providing project developers with the revenue commitment needed for financing. This procurement method has shifted from niche to mainstream, with buyers like Microsoft utilising them to secure durable carbon removal credits. Offtakes contrast with spot purchases, which offer immediate delivery but expose buyers to price volatility and scarcity in a rising market for high-quality credits.
The durable carbon removal (CDR) market contracted 2.3 million tonnes in Q1 2026, marking the largest opening quarter on record and representing 560% of Q1 2025 volume. Microsoft led the quarter with a 1-million-tonne agreement, while over 113 other purchasers contracted 1.3 million tonnes. Biochar carbon removal accounted for 93% of the contracted volume in Q1. This quarter also saw 145,000 tonnes delivered and over 100,000 tonnes retired, making it the second-highest quarter on record for both metrics. Intermediaries facilitated 74% of contracted tonnes, indicating their central role in the market.
The durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) market saw a 151% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in purchases from 2021 to 2025, excluding volumes from Microsoft and Frontier, according to CDR.fyi. While Microsoft accounted for 78.5% of all disclosed durable CDR tonnes purchased by April 2026, its recent pause serves as a market stress test. Biomass Carbon Removal and Storage (BiCRS) methods, particularly BECCS and biochar, led near-term execution, comprising 96% of purchase volume and 91% of delivered volume in 2025. The market is transitioning to reward execution, with pricing becoming method-specific and financing favouring operationally disciplined suppliers. This indicates a more selective market, moving from ambition to tangible delivery and retirement of CDR credits.
A new survey by CDR.fyi and OPIS reveals the average price gap between buyers and suppliers of durable carbon removal (CDR) decreased from $107/tonne to $98/tonne. This gap is projected to narrow further to $48/tonne by 2030, indicating market learning and development. The survey, covering biochar, BECCS, DACCS, and other methods, found that buyers and suppliers agree on the importance of 100+ year permanence and transparency. However, budget constraints, delivery risk, and lack of policy incentives remain key market blockers.
BeZero Carbon has published a buyer's guide for superpollutant carbon credits, noting their potential for high near-term climate impact and often lower cost. The guide stresses that credit quality varies significantly across this category, advising buyers to assess individual projects rather than treating all superpollutant credits uniformly. It highlights the voluntary carbon market's role in addressing methane and nitrous oxide emissions, which remain inadequately covered by current policy and regulation. The report, co-authored by Dr. Bojana Bajzelj and Matthew Klassen, suggests that different project types within this category necessitate distinct purchasing strategies.
A report, originally published by the World Economic Forum, highlights that the current financial architecture for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is insufficient to meet net-zero targets, with only approximately 2 million tonnes of durable CDR verified annually against a 2050 need of 7–9 billion tonnes. The primary barrier is a 'missing middle' where projects are too advanced for early equity but too risky for traditional lenders, creating a capital gap. Only $836 million in equity capital was invested into durable CDR companies in 2024, despite 70% of suppliers expecting to raise capital within six months. This gap requires catalytic or blended finance from risk-tolerant investors like family offices and development banks to scale CDR technologies. Structural mismatches in financial language and long transaction cycles further complicate financing efforts.
Sylvera data indicates that while 640 million tonnes of carbon credits are theoretically eligible for CORSIA Phase 1 compliance, only 37 million tonnes currently meet all requirements due to a bottleneck in host country authorisations. Even with optimistic projections, the accessible pool reaches only 104 million tonnes, falling short of the 163 million tonnes of demand for Phase 1. Guyana's JREDD+ programme accounts for the largest authorised tranche with 24.9 million tonnes, followed by Rwanda's 2.8 million tonnes of cookstove credits. Sylvera notes that CORSIA-tagged credits are also being sold into the voluntary market, further reducing available supply for airlines. The firm has launched an 'Article 6 & CORSIA Hub' to track supply, demand, and sovereign risk.
A CDR.fyi market analysis, 'Mapping Certified Durable Carbon Removal in the United States', reports that certified US carbon removal facilities issued 850,000 cumulative net metric tons of CO2e removals between early 2022 and mid-2026. The study, which reviewed 40 initiatives with credit issuances from Puro.earth and Isometric by 20 June 2026, found that industrial biochar is the dominant pathway. Commercial deployment is accelerating, with a compound annual growth rate of approximately 298% from 29,000 tonnes in 2023 to 460,000 tonnes in 2025. The report highlights that localized biomass availability and existing wood product handling lines dictate the economic footprint of certified projects.
CDR.fyi's latest market analysis identifies 40 certified durable CO2 removal projects in the United States, which have received carbon removal credit issuances through Puro.earth and Isometric as of 20 June 2026. These projects account for approximately 850,000 tonnes of net CO2e removals. The analysis, which excludes projects not yet certified, shows rapid growth since 2022 and deployment across 22 states, with California hosting the most projects (5). Biochar dominates the certified deployments, representing 24 of the 40 projects. Most certified CDR deployments are located in smaller communities, potentially fostering rural economic development.
Finn O'Muircheartaigh, General Manager APAC at BeZero Carbon, discussed the role of ratings, data, and risk analysis in transforming carbon credits into an investable asset class on the Carbon Exposure Podcast. He highlighted how quality increasingly drives pricing and the necessity for improved risk tools to attract institutional capital. The discussion also covered the growing significance of the Asia-Pacific region, Singapore's emergence as a carbon hub, and the potential impact of Article 6 on global demand and supply.