In a landmark move, trading in nickel futures and options on the Shanghai Futures Exchange has been officially opened to overseas traders and Qualified Foreign Investors. At the same time, its subsidiary – the Shanghai International Energy Exchange – has listed two additional products as Specified Domestic Products open to global investors. CGTN's Wan Hongjia has more.
That single push of a lever, marks a historic moment. From the very start of continuous trading on April 22, overseas traders and qualified foreign investors have been allowed to participate in the trading of nickel futures and options at the Shanghai Futures Exchange.
JOCELYN PAN Chairwoman and CEO of J.P. Morgan Futures Company Ltd. "We have seen actually very strong interests from our global clients. They view this launch as a very positive sign of a closer tie between China and global markets. And they're very interested in exploring and participating through this internationalized channel."
Globally, nickel has expanded from traditional industrial uses to high-end manufacturing sectors such as new energy vehicles and aerospace. Against the backdrop of sharp fluctuations in international energy and industrial metal prices, global industrial chain enterprises are in urgent need of new and reliable risk management tools.
WANG JIAN Vice President, China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association "China has established a fully integrated industrial chain for nickel metal, forming significant advantages in production, trade, and consumption, which has laid a solid foundation for participating in global pricing."
It is precisely by relying on this complete industrial chain advantage that the Shanghai Futures Exchange has taken a key step forward.
CHEN YE Managing Director, Commodity Futures Department I Shanghai Futures Exchange "This is the first futures and options product listed on the Shanghai Futures Exchange that is open to foreign participation. Promoting the internationalization of nickel products is an important measure to align with the development trends of the global nickel industry and to serve the high-quality development of the real economy."
Meanwhile, Shanghai's broader options market has also seen rapid growth. On the same day, TSR 20 and bonded copper options were also listed as specific products on the Shanghai International Energy Exchange, a subsidiary of the Shanghai Futures Exchange.
HUANG WEI Managing Director of Futures Derivatives Department Shanghai Futures Exchange "Since the listing of the first options product in 2018, the market size has doubled on average each year. In 2025, seven metal options, including copper, aluminum, and zinc, ranked first globally in both trading volume in lots and absolute trading tonnage."
From Shanghai to the world, the "China Price" is becoming an important rhythm in the global market.Wan Hongjia, CGTN.
转自 CGTN 记者 Wan Hongjia
