Guangzhou Futures Exchange plans to list lithium hydroxide futures this year

MACRO

<!– Headline – top left. Not an : the mobile layout above already
renders the real for this article; this is its desktop-width
visual restyle, kept out of the heading outline so the page has
exactly one regardless of viewport (CB-16). –>

Guangzhou Futures Exchange plans to list lithium hydroxide futures this year

China’s newest commodities exchange is expanding its lithium toolkit, giving the world’s largest battery market a second pricing benchmark for a metal that underpins the EV revolution.

by
Editorial Team

Sep. 23, 2026

Share

Add us on Google

The Guangzhou Futures Exchange is preparing to launch lithium hydroxide futures contracts as soon as Q4 2026, a move that would give traders and battery producers a dedicated hedging instrument for one of the most critical materials in the electric vehicle supply chain.

The planned listing would make GFEX the first Chinese exchange to offer a hydroxide-specific contract, complementing the lithium carbonate futures it launched in July 2023. Those carbonate contracts have since become one of the most liquid lithium instruments in the world, effectively establishing a domestic pricing benchmark in the country that dominates global battery production.

Why hydroxide matters

Lithium comes in two commercially relevant forms: carbonate and hydroxide. They serve different corners of the battery market. Lithium carbonate is the go-to feedstock for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, the chemistry favored by Chinese automakers for affordable EVs. Lithium hydroxide, on the other hand, is the preferred input for nickel-rich NMC cathodes, which power longer-range, higher-performance vehicles.

Advertisement

Who’s lining up

Major Chinese lithium producers are already positioning themselves for the new contract. Tianqi Lithium submitted its application for hydroxide delivery qualifications back in December 2025. Yahua Group followed with its own application in June 2026. Ganfeng Lithium is also reportedly preparing for the launch.

GFEX has been working with the Lithium Branch of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association to finalize the listing process.

Macro, rates, and crypto—what moved markets and what matters next.

Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

GFEX’s rapid rise

The Guangzhou Futures Exchange was established in 2021 with a mandate to focus on new-energy and strategic materials.

The exchange is also expanding access. Physical delivery and overseas participation for lithium carbonate futures are set to commence from July 3, 2026.

Global pricing implications

Currently, hydroxide prices are largely set through bilateral negotiations between producers and buyers, with reference to assessments published by price reporting agencies like Fastmarkets and S&P Global Platts.

Lithium carbonate prices swung from record highs above $80,000 per tonne in late 2022 to below $15,000 per tonne by mid-2024, a decline that bankrupted junior miners and scrambled supply chain planning.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.