Punching Above our Weight
CTX puts heavyweights to shame with genuine results.
Carbon Trade eXchange (CTX) is the first Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) exchange – and it is still the leader, the genuine innovator and most trusted business and brand. Our unique business model is difficult to replicate; 17+ years of market infrastructure and trust is hard to build, no matter how much money is invested.
Our technology is built by GEM and is ultra-unique, and any attempts to copy or reinvent it have failed.
When Rubicon Carbon announced they had raised $1Billion almost 3 years ago, they planned to recreate a ‘new’ version of CTX. Then, 1 year ago, their CEO said in a TV interview how tough it is for 30-40 years bankers to get access to inventory (I mean every project trusts banks, right?). On their website today, they seem to have 5 (FIVE) projects, which they appear to have purchased credits from. In stark contrast, CTX has over 320 projects listed (escrowed) today (see below), proving that trust is earned, not bought. According to the data we have obtained, the CTX Average credits per transaction is over 3 Times theirs (all credit standards) and our CDM CERs 52-week Average credits per trade is a staggering 11 (eleven) times their 2025 VCS average retirements (sales). In fact, CTX has completed as many transactions in the first six months of 2025 as for the whole of 2024, which was already double the results of 2023.
Another ‘giant’ is Climate Impact X with their mega ‘investors’ and over 50 staff (according to LinkedIn) who filed their first accounts in 2018, and in 2022/23 wrote down over S$1.8 million in ‘inventory’ (credits they owned) and generated only S$35,564.00 in ‘inventory sales’ in 2023. This probably explains why their Nature Benchmark is only S$0.92 cents and their Nature X v2017-2020 is below issuance cost at S$0.10.
By the end of 2024, their Dec 31st accounts show cumulative losses of (S$82,652,478.00).
Others, like Xpansiv Limited (group), are far worse (over $1 billion in debt).
So why is CTX still the most sustainable option for long-term Sale and Purchase of VCM Credits?
- The Business model is unique and low-cost to Buyers and Sellers
- Full transparency of fees and prices
- Fully Electronic with Full Exchange Clearance and Settlement
- Guaranteed Delivery (or offset retirement) at the quoted price
- Buyers can buy OTC without being a CTX member
- Largest Range of Credit Standards, Projects /Credits
- Truly Global – projects from over 50 countries
- Genuinely agnostic – we trade /support every project type and every non-sanctioned nation
In almost 18 years of operation, CTX has never had a default trade or non-delivery.
We have no material debt, and, despite our small size and private ownership, thanks to our low-cost clearance and settlement and unique world-class technology, we remain profitable. Plus – besides winning many recent ‘Awards’, CTX is setting records that most major players envy.
When CTX finds the right ‘genuine’ investors, we will be impossible to constrain. Watch this space!
Age Should not Weary Them!
Is the pressure to buy ‘new’ projects’ credits really justified?
Absolutely not – in fact, the opposite – and here is why.
First, let’s look at the Core Foundation of the Global Carbon Market – UNFCCC CDM – which has issued the most credits to the most projects worldwide for over 20 years (more than 2 billion). Every major VCM Credit Standard started with the CDM Methodologies as their Core / Foundation, then made subtle adjustments to add SDGs or other unique ‘features’ – and hundreds of those CDM CER projects have ‘migrated’ to other credit standards like Verra VCS, Gold Standard and BioCarbon Registry. In some cases, the project documents in the VCS Registry are still the original CDM Documents. CTX is proudly the only UNFCCC CDM Exchange partner since 2017, and has traded more than 50% of all CERs sold as VCM credits since https://unfccc.int/news/unfccc-ctx-climate-finance-link-goes-live.
Here’s what UNFCCC say: “Carbon Trade Exchange (CTX) is our partner”
“CTX is a wholesale platform for larger scale sales of CERs for businesses, corporations, and institutional buyers. CTX is a global 24/7/365 platform where you can purchase CDM CER cancellations enabled through a linking arrangement which went live in 2017. CTX is a commercial fee-based business designed to support the global voluntary carbon market. You can access membership to CTX via https://ctxglobal.com/”
Old is Bad and New is good – the myth:
From the beginning, one Carbon Credit equals 1 ton of CO2 or equivalent gases (CO2e) – either avoided (like renewables) or sequestered (like Forestry). Older projects are the leaders; without those, there would be no Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) for the various ratings or accreditation organisations to feed off. Because the offsets were achieved years ago makes them no less credible as an offset for today’s emissions. And certainly, far more credible than the UK Peatland / Forestry selling ‘Pending Issue Units’ as ‘offsets’ that won’t be genuine emission reductions until the NEXT CENTURY. Or new CCS projects that haven’t started or even been approved, or new Biochar that isn’t being put into the ground. However, the relentless marketing pressure by certain ‘accreditation’ organizations with a ‘suppression’ agenda and their banks’ interest in ‘new projects’ or platforms has convinced many that ‘Old is Bad’. Recently, the CEO of a Subsidiary of Southpole even proposed a “Bad Credit fund” for ‘old credits’ they claimed are virtually “worthless”, despite Southpole making $millions from ‘migrating’ CDM CERs to Verra VCS. So, according to Southpole …
“Many of these legacy credits — issued before the Paris Agreement, using outdated baselines or obsolete methodologies — are still circulating. They’re cheap, questionable, and increasingly incompatible with today’s integrity standards. This overhang is becoming a problem. It distorts prices, scares away buyers, and undermines the trust needed to unlock climate finance” https://climateplaybook.substack.com/p/its-time-for-a-bad-bank
Most of the statements here are unproven, opinion-based, or even false – and of course, his company and its ‘parent’ make more $$$ selling new or converted credits – even if it is the EXACT same methodology.
The Core principles of Carbon credits (as offsets) have always been Additionality, Permanence and Proven by operational projects for emissions reductions that have TAKEN place and verified by legitimate ‘Qualified’ 3rd parties. Some credit standards – ‘brands’ – have updated CDM methodologies, but is there any genuine evidence that older credits are less valid? Or that CDM CERs are any less viable as an offset than other credits? We think not, as CERs were previously allowed as offsets in Regulated Carbon Markets or taxes globally – EUETS, South Korea, Australia, Colombia and South Africa, to name a few.
At CTX, we advocate that Brokers (or companies) should use a blend of older and newer, some CDM CERs and other ‘brands’, to make a genuine ‘offset portfolio’ within ever-tighter budgets.
Check out this awesome portfolio we arranged for a reseller broker recently.
N.b.CTX is the only VCM exchange where CDM CERs can be traded electronically, and also has the Unique CTX UN CERs listed and traded from the EU (Dutch) Registry, UK and Australian National Registries.
3 million Brazil REDD+ listed on CTX
Listed as CTX CER (CERCarbono 😊) are available for Buy to Transfer or to Retire at only US$5.00 (negotiable). The credits are certified, issued and registered in the EcoRegistry.
CERCarbono has been accepted as an offset in Colombia since the implementation of its carbon tax, which has allowed a portion of that tax to be met using offsets from specific credit standards – and CTX is the only place you can buy them all. The Carbon Tax scheme accepts projects listed under standards from Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) (CDM CERs and CTX UN CERs), Gold Standard, BioCarbon Standard and CERCarbono. While most of the credits listed on CTX may not be eligible for tax offset, having matured past the rolling vintage year cutoff, they are still High Quality. The Carbon Tax allows credits within 5 years, in other words, vintage 2020+.
Now is the Time for Buyer Action
Positive Signs for the Voluntary Carbon Market
While the voluntary carbon market recently hit a six-year low in trading volumes, several key indicators suggest that the market is poised for recovery and growth. According to a recent article Now is the Time to Act – as the demand for genuine action ramps up, not just ‘NetZero targets’.
The current dip in the market prices represents a unique opportunity for early action at low cost. By purchasing carbon credits now, businesses can support high-quality projects at more affordable prices, while contributing to impactful, long-term climate solutions, and ensuring the Climate Finance, much needed by projects, globally makes them operationally sustainable for the future.
The shift towards greater transparency and sustainable projects means that every investment made today will help restore ecosystems, create jobs, and reduce emissions across the globe. And at CTX we have direct links to the Registry for every project with access to ALL the documents (thousands of pages in some cases) – not just to get to some marketing blurb with no substance or have to dig to find a semi-hidden 2-3 page fake audit report like some Biochar we have seen.
Despite the short-term challenges, the voluntary carbon market holds immense promise for the future. With growing corporate demand, enhanced regulatory frameworks, and a stronger focus on quality projects, the market is positioning itself for a rebound.
The opportunity to make a lasting impact on the environment is clearer than ever especially for those who act early. As the market stabilises, those who commit to purchasing carbon credits will play a crucial role in helping to restore ecosystems and combat climate change.
Projects of The Month
Blue Carbon: Nature-Based Carbon Capture and Storage – (7 SDG’s)
Italy (Europe) – EUR €9.50
Global Carbon Registry (GCR) Valle San Leonardo (Italy) Blue Carbon supports Coastal ecosystems, which host the important bio-systems and ecosystems worldwide, including at-risk Wetlands and Mangroves; being simultaneously some of the most economically relevant and vulnerable ecosystems on Earth. These Coastal ecosystems, such as salt marshes, seagrass meadows and mangrove forests, provide fundamental Ecosystem Services. Coastal ecosystems provide a unique natural landscape, enhance biodiversity, support commercial fisheries, protect coastal regions against erosion and storms, provide ecotourism revenues, and act as efficient natural carbon sinks, helping to offset CO2 emissions and fight climate change. All contributing to a sense of nature in harmony as it should be.
Coastal ecosystems are highly efficient at capturing and storing carbon dioxide CO2 from the atmosphere. They sequester carbon at rates that can be several times higher than terrestrial forests. By protecting and restoring these ecosystems, we can effectively reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere, which is crucial for mitigating climate change. The Italian “San Leonardo” project is a temperate H.C.W. (human-controlled wetland) area. Since 2010, many organizations have been involved in projects to generate “Blue Carbon Credits ” from these temperate areas and provide a means to conserve and restore coastal ecosystems, sequester carbon, support biodiversity, protect coastal communities, offering economic benefits, and contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.
REDD+ – (10 SDG’s)
Brazil (Latin America) – USD $5.00
This visionary project aims to safeguard 339,744 hectares of pristine forest in western Mato Grosso, Brazil, along the Rondônia border. Spearheaded by the resilient and resourceful Indigenous Cinta Larga people, the initiative is designed to reduce deforestation-driven emissions by over 29 million tCO₂e plus preserve irreplaceable biodiversity and protect a critical ecological transition zone between the Amazon and Cerrado biomes.
With full and inclusive community participation, the project combats rampant illegal logging and fosters equitable, sustainable development aligned with 10 key UN Sustainable Development Goals.
By recognising forest conservation as a valuable ecosystem service, the project provides strategic financial incentives through carbon credits to strengthen territorial autonomy and cultural heritage. Originally conceived in 2009, now entirely Indigenous-led, it demonstrates the economic viability of protecting forests in high-risk areas—and sets a compelling example of climate resilience rooted in local stewardship and ancestral wisdom.
Plastic Waste Collection & Recycling (7 SDG’s)
Thailand (Asia) – USD $550 (minimum purchase – 10 tons)
We need to remove plastic from our Oceans! Plastic is created using fossil fuels and is deeply woven into modern daily lives —packaging and essential household items, critical medical tools and durable transportation components — yet its convenience comes at a devastating environmental cost. Marine life bears the brunt, with countless species injured or killed by hazardous plastic debris each year. Leatherback turtles, for instance, often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, leading to fatal digestive blockages and agonizing starvation.
Thailand’s coastal waters rank among the most severely polluted in the world, making it urgent to support this project before irreversible damage occurs. Implementing effective waste management in the region’s remote coastal communities poses significant challenges due to the lack of foundational infrastructure and services.
Moreover, many villagers have had limited access to environmental education and long-term conservation planning, which hinders efforts to safeguard the ocean. Yet the stakes are high: a cleaner ocean not only protects marine ecosystems, it also revitalizes local tourism, offering a pathway to improved economic wellbeing and greater community resilience.
As the world’s first Verra-certified plastic recovery project, it sets a precedent for scalable, transparent, and accountable action in the global fight against ocean plastic.
If we don’t act NOW, by 2050, we might have more plastic in the ocean than fish!
For OTC Buyers contact trading@ctxglobal.com
CTX Members – if you have any questions, please email operations@ctxglobal.com
Thank you all for your contributions to help save the planet for our future generations.
