In 2018, the founders of ACX were approached by Enterprise Singapore — the government agency championing enterprise development — to discuss the possibility of launching a digital carbon exchange in Singapore. In 2019, AirCarbon Exchange was launched as an offshoot of these conversations, focusing first on CORSIA (Carbon Offset Reduction Scheme for International Aviation), then quickly expanding across a broader carbon market offering.

By observing the then-existing carbon credit market, we noticed that financial intermediaries dominated carbon credit transactions, forcing sellers to incur large transaction fees, often up to 20-30%. Second, many of the carbon credit marketplaces relied on antiquated technology such as using bulletin boards to market and track carbon credit projects. We set out to eliminate market inefficiencies that required carbon sellers to navigate a multitude of marketing and administrative tasks to post, market, and sell projects. By applying the principles of other commodities markets trading, while leveraging efficient technology underpinnings and establishing consistent pricing benchmarks for carbon credits, we knew we could transform the market. We explored technology innovation and concluded that blockchain was the right digital infrastructure to support an efficient exchange to simplify and secure the trading and settlement process.

In 2022, we have announced the first fully regulated Carbon Exchange and Clearing House, connecting global VCM participants to transact ACX contracts for spot carbon credits and other environmental instruments with the integrity and transparency provided by traditional financial markets.

We have expanded our global reach with offices and representation beyond our original location in Singapore, namely in Brazil, Canada, India, and the UAE. We also have broadened our environmental credit coverage on the ACX platform, enabling the trading of carbon and other environmental credits securely, efficiently, and seamlessly.

Today, we are evolving our brand to represent the broader opportunity. We have transitioned from AirCarbon Exchange to ACX, establishing an ambitious company vision of creating harmony between sustainability efforts and the global economy.

ACX mission is to help organizations and governing nations accelerate their transformation required to reach our joint Net Zero goals while fueling the funding of environmental-driven projects (nature-based and technology-innovation based). At ACX, we believe that the VCM plays a key role in driving climate action by offering environmental credits to offset emissions that can’t be avoided or reduced otherwise, all the while driving a direct environmental impact through nature-based and tech-innovative projects. We focus on what we do best: enabling the secure and transparent funding of climate change, connecting the various global market players on state-of-the-art technology, together with the collaboration of our ecosystem partners.

Our Vision is a world where sustainability and the global economy work in harmony.

ACX is the leading global digital exchange that powers the future of environmental markets. We bring traditional commodities trading infrastructure to the carbon markets. Combining the team’s expertise in commodities trading and in pioneering the development of best-in-class technology solutions, ACX can help accelerate all key stakeholders in tackling the challenges of our urgent Net Zero transition.

We offer a secure, trusted, robust platform with transparent pricing, efficient trading, settlement risk mitigation, and low fees.

Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCM) emerged as a result of providing a path for project developers, governments, and organizations to achieve our global climate goals by financing sustainability while fostering innovation and local ESG impact. The 2015 Paris Agreement urged 196 member states to pledge immediate action and report back on their goals to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

The COP26 climate summit in Glasgow marked the approval of Article 6, representing the Paris Agreement’s rulebook governing carbon markets and unleashing the power of carbon credits generated by the reduction or removal of GHGs from the atmosphere. In essence, they mobilize resources to provide countries, and companies to combat climate change, now.