Highlights
- The Baotou Rare Earth Products Exchange launched a new trading system.
- Improved data security, speed, and risk control in the new system.
- New platform offers 50% faster response times and multi-terminal access.
- Supports over 9,000 tons of rare earth transactions.
- Exchange aims to tighten domestic price discovery.
- Intended to reduce trading costs for Chinese rare earth market participants.
The Baotou Rare Earth Products Exchange (RE Exchange) has launched a new trading system built around data security, speed, and risk control, aiming to create a more secure, intelligent, and efficient marketplace for rare-earth products, according to Baogang Daily. The platform shifts to a distributed architecture with modular deployment, designed to keep trading live even if individual nodes fail. The Exchange says it completed multiple stress tests, business validations, and automated data checks to migrate historical records and ensure a seamless cutover from the old system.
What changed. Response time is 50% faster, and front-end steps are reduced by 30%. The platform now supports multi-terminal access (desktop and a redesigned mobile app) with real-time quotes and on-phone order entry—“rare-earth trading at your fingertips.” A new bidding-procurement board adds flexibility for buyers and sellers, and bundled financing services offer credit lines exceeding CNY 6 million for SMEs.
Early metrics. Since going live, the Exchange has held 46 bidding-procurement sessions serving 44 companies, totaling over 9,000 tons with transaction value above CNY 30 million, while reportedly saving more than CNY 5 million in trading costs. It also hosted 6 competitive-bidding sessions with over 9,000 tons traded and transaction value above CNY 2 million.
Why this matters for investors involved with Chinese state-owned entities that are still floating shares, a more resilient, mobile-first exchange can tighten domestic price discovery and reduce frictional costs—especially for La/Ce oxides, Pr-Nd streams, and downstream materials—at a time when China’s export licensing has added volatility. Lower transaction costs and embedded credit may pull more liquidity onshore and strengthen domestic allocation, potentially dampening export availability and narrowing arbitrage windows that Western buyers have relied on.
What’s not answered (but crucial).
- Product scope: Which specific RE oxides, metals, and magnets are enabled day one?
- Access: Are foreign entities allowed to view/participate or only domestic firms?
- Cyber & compliance: Any third-party security audits or alignment with export-license workflows?
- Capacity presale & price-fixing pilots: The Exchange plans price-fixing trades and capacity pre-sales—will these mechanisms lock up future volumes for domestic buyers?
Rare Earth Exchanges (REEx) reminds the reader that the source of this news item is a state-owned entity in the People’s Republic of China and all information needs to be independently verified.
Source & author: Baogang Daily, (opens in a new tab) “Safer, Smarter, More Efficient — New RE Exchange Trading System Officially Online,” Aug. 26, 2025.
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Very pertinent questions, especially the observation that the CCP still has ultimate control.