China Opens Domestic Nickel, Lithium Futures to Foreign Investors

China's securities regulator announced on Friday, January 26, 2026, it will allow foreign investors to trade domestic nickel and lithium carbonate futures, aiming to boost the country's pricing power in key battery metals. The move is part of a broader push to internationalize China's commodity markets and enhance the yuan's global role. The China Securities Regulatory Commission said nickel futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange and lithium carbonate on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange are among 14 products to be opened. No implementation date was given. Analysts suggest the step could precede similar access for other metals like copper and aluminum. Previous efforts to open China's commodity markets, such as yuan-denominated crude oil and copper contracts, have seen limited success in challenging established global benchmarks.