How Carbon Credit Prices Are Quoted on Our Marketplace

The price on a marketplace listing is the number buyers look at first and, understandably, the one they most want to rely on. This page explains how we show prices, why the listed figure is a starting point rather than a quote, and which features of a project push its price up or down.

We do not publish market price ranges here. Prices for carbon credits vary widely between projects and change over time, and any figure we printed would date quickly.

The unit: US dollars per tonne

Every listing shows a price in USD per tCO₂e. One carbon credit represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced or removed, so the listed price is the price of a single credit.

The international carbon market trades mostly in US dollars, which is why we quote in dollars even for Indian projects and Indian buyers. If your finance team budgets in rupees, convert using the exchange rate on the day you prepare the estimate, and expect the rupee figure to move with the currency until the deal is fixed.

"Equivalent" matters because not every project deals with carbon dioxide itself. A biogas project that stops methane escaping is credited according to methane's warming effect relative to CO₂, so its output is still expressed in tonnes of CO₂e and priced the same way.

Why the listed price is indicative

The price on the page is a per-tonne guide for that lot. It is indicative: it shows you roughly where the lot sits, but it is not an offer you can accept on the website. No payment is taken on the site.

A price becomes firm only once we confirm, in writing:

• availability, that the quantity you want is still there and has been held for you
• vintage, the year or years of the credits you will receive
• registry details, the programme, project ID and, for issued credits, the account and serial range
• eligibility, that the units meet your stated requirement, for example a particular programme or CORSIA conditions

Any of these can affect the price. If part of a lot has sold, the remaining tonnes might be a different vintage. If you need CORSIA-eligible units with host-country authorisation, only some of a project's credits may qualify, and those may be priced differently.

Working out a total

The arithmetic is simple: quantity in tonnes multiplied by the per-tonne price.

On any project page you can enter a quantity and the page will show an estimated total using the listed price. For example, if you are planning to offset 2,500 tonnes, enter 2,500 and the page multiplies it by the listed rate. That gives you a number to put in an internal approval note.

When budgeting, leave room for the items the listed price does not cover. Buyers commonly need to allow for:

• the difference between the indicative and the confirmed price
• currency movement between budget approval and contract
• registry fees, if you open and run your own account (programmes charge these in different ways)
• applicable taxes, which your finance team should confirm for your situation

If you are unsure what will apply, contact the desk before you take a number to your board.

What moves a credit's price

Two credits can both represent one tonne and still be priced very differently. These are the factors that most often explain the gap.

Project type

Removal credits, where carbon is taken out of the atmosphere, are in strong demand from companies with net-zero targets, and supply is more limited. Avoidance credits from older renewable energy projects are generally more plentiful. The Project Types section describes each category.

Vintage

More recent vintages are usually preferred. Older credits can be harder to use for some corporate claims, and compliance schemes such as CORSIA accept only a defined vintage window.

Programme and methodology

Which standard issued the credit, and under which methodology, affects how widely it is accepted. A methodology that has faced public criticism, or been revised, can weigh on prices for credits issued under its earlier version.

Eligibility and authorisation

Units approved for CORSIA, or carrying a host-country authorisation and corresponding adjustment, serve a narrower group of buyers who cannot substitute other credits. That generally supports a higher price. See corresponding adjustments made simple for why this matters.

Co-benefits

Projects with well-evidenced benefits for communities and nature, such as clean cooking that reduces household smoke or mangrove restoration that supports fisheries, often command more than projects with carbon benefits alone.

Delivery and volume

Spot credits that can be transferred now tend to cost more than forward credits that depend on future issuance; our page on spot, issued and forward credits explains why. Volume cuts both ways: a very large order can sometimes earn a better rate, while a small order from a large lot may not.

Reading the price alongside everything else

A low price is not automatically good value. Before choosing on price, check that the credit will do the job you need, whether that is a voluntary claim, a CORSIA cancellation or a supplier requirement. A cheaper credit that your auditor will not accept costs more in the end.

Equally, a high price does not by itself prove quality. Look at the registry record, the verification history and the documents before deciding.

If you would like a firm figure on a specific lot, choose your quantity on the project page and send a request to buy; we will reply with confirmed availability, vintage, registry details and price in writing.