Highlights

• Rare Earth Exchanges co-founders presented strategic insights on rare earth elements at Daiwa Capital Markets ESG Forum
• Presentation highlighted the essential role of rare earth minerals in:
  • Defense
  • Clean energy
  • Electric Vehicles (EVs)
  • Electronics
• Founders emphasized the growing demand-supply gap
• Offered investors a framework to evaluate rare earth projects

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Rare Earth Exchanges™ (REEx) co-founders Daniel O’Connor (opens in a new tab) and Dustin Olsen delivered a featured presentation at Daiwa Capital Markets’ (opens in a new tab) virtual ESG Forum this week, engaging a high-level audience of institutional investors from Singapore and Hong Kong on the strategic role and responsible sourcing of rare earth elements.

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The presentation, titled **“_The Strategic Role and Responsible Supply of Rare Earth Elements,”** covered the full rare earth value chain—from geology and refining bottlenecks to geopolitical pressures and emerging investment opportunities in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the European Union. O’Connor and Olsen emphasized the essential role these minerals play in defense, clean energy, EVs, and electronics, while also addressing environmental and social concerns associated with mining and midstream processing.

In showcasing Rare Earth Exchanges' (REEx) proprietary REEx Rankings, the founders highlighted the performance of leading heavy rare earth developers across ESG metrics, traceability, and technical execution. Their outlook drew attention to the widening gap between soaring demand and fragile supply, particularly in magnet-grade materials, and provided investors with a structured framework to evaluate projects beyond headline hype.

Feedback from Daiwa clients was resoundingly positive. According to one of the Analysts at Daiwa Capital Markets Hong Kong, “The presentation was highly insightful and thought-provoking... We’ve received very positive feedback from our clients.” One investor commented on the “clarity and accessibility” of the session, while another noted a desire for more Q&A time. Daiwa’s ESG research team has expressed interest in further collaboration with Rare Earth Exchanges.

This marks a growing recognition of REEx’s role in demystifying the rare earth sector for global capital markets. As O’Connor shared during the session, “The rare earth supply chain isn’t just a technical challenge—it’s a strategic one. Capital, policy, and ESG accountability must work in sync to build resilient alternatives.”

About Daiwa Capital Markets

Daiwa Capital Markets is the investment banking arm of Daiwa Securities Group Inc., one of Japan’s largest brokerage and financial services firms with over ¥180 trillion in client assets under management. Headquartered in Tokyo with offices across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, Daiwa provides equity research, M&A advisory, and ESG-focused investment solutions to institutional investors globally.

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