News & insights

We are excited to announce the launch of Jarden commtrade (commtrade), one of Australia’s first online marketplaces for buying and selling carbon credits. With over a decade of proven success in New Zealand, this marks Jarden's first introduction of such a service to its Australian clients and represents a significant shift from traditional voice-based methods to innovative technology. 

Riley Vernon, Head of Australian Commodities, said: “commtrade has been pivotal in New Zealand, providing a transparent spot exchange for carbon credit trading. With its launch in Australia, we aim to meet the growing demand for carbon credits and offsets.”

Drawing on its substantial market share in New Zealand, where Jarden executed record volumes in the first quarter of 2024, the company aims to replicate this leadership position in Australia. “As a larger and growing carbon market, Australia presents a significant opportunity,” Vernon said. “As governments and corporates accelerate efforts toward achieving net zero emissions, efficient and reliable platforms like commtrade are critical.”

Until now, Jarden’s Australian clients had access to a price display mechanism only for Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs*). commtrade now enables clients to actively participate by directly inputting bids and offers, with real-time matching capabilities displayed on screen. “It will effectively make the trading of ACCUs simpler, faster and cheaper for our clients with the added benefit of improved transparency,” said Vernon.

Jarden partnered with financial markets technology firm Tecassa for the development, hosting, and support of the enhanced commtrade platform. Vernon noted that the Australian launch facilitated improvements to the well-established New Zealand platform. "Originally developed in-house over a decade ago, commtrade has been upgraded to handle the growing trading volumes we've seen. These enhancements will also deliver operational efficiencies, improving the overall client experience."

Dan Reynolds, Head of Institutional Securities, highlighted the firm’s achievements in New Zealand. “We played a key role in establishing New Zealand’s carbon market under the Emissions Trading Scheme, executing the first trade in 2009. Today, our expertise extends well beyond carbon to encompass dairy and power markets. Drawing on this experience, we’re confident in our ability to contribute to the growth of the Australian market.”

Reynolds also noted that commtrade’s entry into Australia is part of the firm’s broader strategic goals in carbon and environmental markets. “As pioneers in offering an electronic marketplace for carbon trading, commtrade provides a significant competitive advantage. We anticipate closer collaboration between Riley and his team and our Corporate Finance division, enhancing our capability to serve clients navigating the evolving carbon market.”

How Jarden commtrade Works

Jarden commtrade offers live pricing, spot trading, indicative forward prices, and historical data. Clients can seamlessly transact in carbon credits held in both the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCUs) scheme and the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZUs). 

Registered Trading Users can log in to place bids and offers for NZUs or ACCUs on a spot basis during market hours. Transactions remain anonymous until matched, after which clients receive a contract note from Jarden detailing settlement terms. All transactions are settled directly through Jarden, ensuring swift and secure completion. The standard trading volume starts from 1000 units, with further increments in multiples of 1000.

 commtrade is powered by Tecassa's Crossfire platform, a cutting-edge multi-asset exchange technology platform. Crossfire's high-performance matching engine provides security, scalability, and flexibility for Jarden to bring innovative new products to market.

 For more information on commtrade and how it can support your carbon trading needs, visit www.commtrade.com

 *What is an ACCU?

Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) are a financial instrument awarded to eligible energy efficiency, renewable energy generation and carbon sequestration projects that result in a reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

One ACCU represents the avoidance or removal of one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2-e) GHG.

About Jarden 

We're a leading Australian and New Zealand advisory and investment group. Our New Zealand roots date back to 1961, while our footprint expanded to Australia in 2020. Today, we're a fully integrated business focused on delivering exceptional outcomes for clients at home and abroad.  

We support a range of clients from entrepreneurs and family offices to governments, institutional investors, corporates and private equity firms. Our services span corporate advisory, capital markets, M&A, equites, research, fixed income, currencies and commodities, and private capital solutions.

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