CME lithium hydroxide future contracts in record start to 2026

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lithium hydroxide futures contract achieved a record weekly trading volume of 8,296 tonnes in the first full week of 2026, according to CME data released on Monday, January 12.

The previous weekly high trading volume was 6,366 tonnes in mid-February 2025.

The contract also saw its third- and fourth-highest daily trading volumes on January 5 (1,988 lots) and January 7 (1,997 lots) were traded – the only time more lots have been traded was on February 11, 2025, when 2,161 lots were traded.

Each lot is equivalent to 1 tonne.

The CME lithium hydroxide contract, which launched in 2021 and is settled based on Fastmarkets’ CIF China, Japan and South Korea (CJK) price assessment, has shown strong growth in trading volumes and open interest since 2023, with record volumes seen through 2025.

“With the recent surge in spot prices and market activity it’s great to see that that volumes are following the price trend,” Fastmarkets global head of market development, Przemek Koralewski, said.

“What a year ago was considered a very strong month, in volume terms, can now be traded in a week, pointing to an increase in available liquidity in the market. The CME futures provide a critical risk management tool for the lithium supply chain amidst the rising volatility,” Koralewski added.

The near-term CME lithium hydroxide contract forward curve has seen sharp gains in recent weeks and remained in a strong contango as of January 12.

Market participants attributed the recent bullish sentiment in the spot lithium hydroxide market to recent destocking in the supply chain, strong expected demand from the battery Energy Storage System (ESS) sector, and a broader uplift in sentiment across the base and industrial metals in early 2026.

The lithium carbonate futures contract on China’s Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX) showed gains across the forward curve in recent days.

The most actively traded May 2026 lithium carbonate contract on GFEX closed at 156,060 yuan per tonne on Monday January 12, up by 12,640 yuan from Friday’s close at 143,420 yuan per tonne and up from 126,560 yuan per tonne on Monday January 5.

What are the latest prices for lithium?

Fastmarkets’ benchmark battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide prices CIF CJK have jumped sharply in recent weeks.

Fastmarkets’ price assessment for lithium carbonate 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot prices, cif China, Japan & Korea, $16.50-20.00 per kg on Monday January 12, up from $13.00-16.00 per kg a week earlier.

Fastmarkets’ price assessment for lithium hydroxide monohydrate LiOH.H2O 56.5% LiOH min, battery grade, spot price, cif China, Japan & Korea, was at $15.50-19.00 per kg on Monday January 12, up from $12.00-15.50 per kg a week earlier.

A suite of lithium futures contracts, which all settle based on Fastmarkets’ assessments, are listed on the CME, Singapore Exchange (SGX), Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and the London Metal Exchange.The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) lithium hydroxide futures contract achieved aa record weekly trading volume of 8,296 tonnes in the first full week of 2026, according to CME data released on Monday, January 12.The previous weekly high trading volume was 6,366 tonnes in mid-February 2025.

The contract also saw its third- and fourth-highest daily trading volumes on January 5 (1,988 lots) and January 7 (1,997 lots) were traded – the only time more lots have been traded was on February 11, 2025, when 2,161 lots were traded.

Each lot is equivalent to 1 tonne.

The CME lithium hydroxide contract, which launched in 2021 and is settled based on Fastmarkets’ CIF China, Japan and South Korea (CJK) price assessment, has shown strong growth in trading volumes and open interest since 2023, with record volumes seen through 2025.

“With the recent surge in spot prices and market activity it’s great to see that that volumes are following the price trend,” Fastmarkets global head of market development, Przemek Koralewski, said.

“What a year ago was considered a very strong month, in volume terms, can now be traded in a week, pointing to an increase in available liquidity in the market. The CME futures provide a critical risk management tool for the lithium supply chain amidst the rising volatility,” Koralewski added.

The near-term CME lithium hydroxide contract forward curve has seen sharp gains in recent weeks and remained in a strong contango as of January 12.

Market participants attributed the recent bullish sentiment in the spot lithium hydroxide market to recent destocking in the supply chain, strong expected demand from the battery Energy Storage System (ESS) sector, and a broader uplift in sentiment across the base and industrial metals in early 2026.

The lithium carbonate futures contract on China’s Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX) showed gains across the forward curve in recent days.

The most actively traded May 2026 lithium carbonate contract on GFEX closed at 156,060 yuan per tonne on Monday January 12, up by 12,640 yuan from Friday’s close at 143,420 yuan per tonne and up from 126,560 yuan per tonne on Monday January 5.

Fastmarkets’ benchmark battery-grade lithium carbonate and hydroxide prices CIF CJK have jumped sharply in recent weeks.

Fastmarkets’ price assessment for lithium carbonate 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot prices, cif China, Japan & Korea, $16.50-20.00 per kg on Monday January 12, up from $13.00-16.00 per kg a week earlier.

Fastmarkets’ price assessment for lithium hydroxide monohydrate LiOH.H2O 56.5% LiOH min, battery grade, spot price, cif China, Japan & Korea, was at $15.50-19.00 per kg on Monday January 12, up from $12.00-15.50 per kg a week earlier.

A suite of lithium futures contracts, which all settle based on Fastmarkets’ assessments, are listed on the CME, Singapore Exchange (SGX), Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and the London Metal Exchange.

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