Fastmarkets

What Fastmarkets does

Fastmarkets is a global cross-commodity price reporting agency (PRA) headquartered in London, providing price assessments, news, forecasting, and market intelligence across agriculture, forest products, metals and mining, battery raw materials, and carbon markets. The company publishes more than 5,500 prices supported by 200+ reporters and analysts and a 130+ year pricing heritage that consolidates legacy brands including Metal Bulletin, American Metal Market, RISI, FOEX, The Jacobsen, Agricensus, Palm Oil Analytics, and Random Lengths. It serves over 14,000 global customers across producer, trader, consumer, exchange, and financial institution segments.

The commercial architecture is a platform-plus-products model: the Fastmarkets Platform (web dashboard, Excel add-in, iOS/Android apps, and a public API covering over 4,000 assessments) sits as the access layer, while core offerings include Price Data, News and Market Analysis, Forecasting and Analysis, Risk Management tools, Exchange Data Solutions, Consulting, and a portfolio of industry events anchored by the Global Lithium, Battery and Critical Materials Conference. Methodology is formalized through IOSCO-compliant price assessment processes and an independent benchmark administration entity, Fastmarkets Benchmark Administration Oy (FBA), incorporated in December 2020 in Helsinki, Finland, and supervised by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority under the European Benchmarks Regulation (BMR). Pricing data is stored and processed in the proprietary MInD (Market Information Database) system, and Fastmarkets signs Data Submitter Agreements with market participants to maximize data inputs.

Revenue is generated primarily through enterprise subscriptions and data licensing (subscription, licensing, and royalty streams), supplemented by professional services (consulting and events). The company is mid-transition from a user-license model to an enterprise-license model that bundles API and third-party software integration, contract and financial trading use rights, and multi-year contracts. The business is privately held, with the group controlled by Lithium Hangar Holdco Limited, has more than 700 employees across the UK, US, China, Singapore, Brazil, Belgium, and Finland, and is actively building new exchange licensing relationships (CME Group, NOREXECO) and a digital spot platform for the physical lithium market.

Name

Fastmarkets

Legal name

Fastmarkets Global Limited

Website

https://fastmarkets.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Fastmarkets is a London-based global price reporting agency publishing over 5,500 commodity price assessments across agriculture, forest products, metals and mining, battery raw materials, and carbon markets for more than 14,000 enterprise customers under IOSCO-compliant methodologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commodity Price Reporting & Market Data

NAICS

Commodity Contracts Intermediation (523160), Commodity Contracts Intermediation (52316)

SIC

Commodity Contracts Brokers & Dealers (6221)

akta.pro primary industry

Commodity Market Data, Pricing & Benchmark Administrators (Commodity Indices/Assessments) (FSAFAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Real-Time Market Data Feeds & Terminals (FSAFAIAA), Delayed/End-of-Day Market Data & Reference Data Services (FSAFAIAB), Carbon Market Data, Indices, Ratings & Price Reporting (MRPAs) (EUAGAIAH)

Keywords

• Commodity price reporting
• Price benchmark administration
• Market data analytics
• Commodity news forecasting
• Risk management solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Price Data Subscriptions: Fastmarkets provides access to over 5,500 prices in agriculture, forest products, metals and mining and new generation energy through subscription-based access to their price data platform. They are transitioning from a user license model to an enterprise license model.
2. Data Licensing: Data licenses authorize the supply of Fastmarkets price data for internal company use, ensuring compliance with terms and conditions. Named users on data licenses can utilize prices for sales and trading, mid and back office operations, and functions interacting with price data directly or via formulas. The licensing covers distribution, trading (physical and financial contracts), transactions (valuations, pricing activities), and derived data (indices, forward curves, exchange traded products).
3. News and Market Analysis: Access to expertise of more than 200 reporters and analysts covering markets globally, providing news and market analysis as part of the product suite.
4. Forecasting and Analysis: Ultra-short-, short-, mid- and long-term price, supply and demand forecasts for commodity markets, providing risk management and future trend prediction capabilities.
5. Exchange Data Solutions: Partnership with exchanges such as CME Group for futures contracts settled on Fastmarkets price assessments, providing licensing revenue for benchmark usage.
6. Events: Revenue from hosting industry conferences and events including the Global Lithium, Battery and Critical Materials Conference, Iron Ore & Green Steel Summit, and regional forest products and agriculture events.
7. Consulting: Custom consulting services for market analysis and risk management support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fastmarkets is a cross-commodity price reporting agency (PRA) that produces more than 5,500 commodity price assessments across agriculture, forest products, metals and mining, battery raw materials, and carbon markets, complemented by news and market analysis from 200+ reporters, ultra-short- to long-term price/supply/demand forecasts, risk management tools, and exchange data solutions. These are delivered through the proprietary Fastmarkets Platform (web dashboard, Excel add-in, mobile apps) and public API, with independent benchmark administration operated by Fastmarkets Benchmark Administration Oy (FBA) under EU BMR supervision.

Product overview

Fastmarkets is a leading cross-commodity price reporting agency (PRA) providing price data, news, forecasting, and market intelligence across agriculture, forest products, metals and mining, battery raw materials, and carbon markets. The offering is organized as a platform-plus-products architecture: the Fastmarkets Platform (web dashboard, Excel add-in, mobile apps, and API) serves as the central access layer for all data products, while the core commercial offerings include Price Data (5,500+ commodity price assessments), News and Market Analysis (200+ reporters), Forecasting and Analysis, Risk Management tools, Exchange Data Solutions, Consulting, and Events (conferences including the Global Lithium Conference). Fastmarkets aggregates multiple legacy brands (Metal Bulletin, American Metal Market, RISI, FOEX, The Jacobsen, Agricensus, Palm Oil Analytics, Random Lengths, Hardwood Market Report) and operates its benchmark administration through Fastmarkets Benchmark Administration Oy (FBA) under EU Benchmarks Regulation supervision. The company serves over 14,000 global customers across industries including automotive, aerospace, steel, pulp and paper, energy, and chemicals, and has recently launched new digital platforms (e.g., lithium spot market platform) and price assessments in emerging markets such as heavy rare earths, HVO feedstocks, battery materials, and carbon certificates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Metal Bulletin: Part of Fastmarkets, covering metals and mining price reporting
• American Metal Market
• RISI
• RANDOM LENGTHS
• Agricensus
• Palm Oil Analytics
• FOEX
• The Jacobsen

Products and services

• Price Data Access to over 5,500 commodity price assessments across agriculture, forest products, metals and mining, battery raw materials, and carbon markets, published daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly per commodity schedule; serves commodity producers, traders, consumers, exchanges, and financial institutions.
• News and Market Analysis Expert commentary and market intelligence from more than 200 reporters and analysts covering global commodity markets, providing insights, news, and analysis to support trading and risk management decisions for enterprise commodity participants.
• Forecasting and Analysis
• Risk Management Tools and market intelligence designed to mitigate exposure to commodity price risk, including forward curves, scenario analysis, and benchmark-driven contract references.
• Exchange Data Solutions Integration of Fastmarkets price benchmarks into commodity exchange-traded and OTC derivative products, enabling settlement references and price discovery for futures, forwards, options, ETFs, and other exchange-listed instruments.
• Consulting Custom advisory and consulting services for commodity market participants seeking bespoke analysis, market studies, and expert support for strategic and operational decisions.
• Fastmarkets Platform Proprietary digital platform providing centralized access to all Fastmarkets price data, analytics, and market intelligence, available via web dashboard, Excel add-in, and mobile apps for iOS and Android.
• Fastmarkets API Programmatic access to Fastmarkets price data for enterprise customers, enabling integration into proprietary systems, trading platforms, and derived data products such as indices, forward curves, and exchange-traded instruments. Delivered under an enterprise license model.
• Events Portfolio of industry conferences and webinars across commodity markets including the flagship Global Lithium, Battery and Critical Materials Conference, International Iron Ore & Green Steel Summit, Forest Products events, and Feedstocks & Biofuels conferences.
• Fastmarkets Benchmark Administration (FBA) Independent benchmark administration entity (Fastmarkets Benchmark Administration Oy) operating as the administrator of Fastmarkets benchmarks subject to the European Benchmarks Regulation (BMR), headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, and supervised by FIN-FSA.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 14,000 global customers rely on Fastmarkets pricing data
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hyundai EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Ioneer signed a letter of intent with Hyundai Engineering and a South Korean government entity to support its Nevada lithium project. This demonstrates partnerships in the lithium supply chain that Fastmarkets' pricing and market intelligence helps facilitate through transparent benchmark pricing.
• PLS Group LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026PLS Group Ltd, a major lithium producer, joined Fastmarkets' industry advisory group to actively contribute to the development of a new digital spot platform for the physical lithium market. PLS committed to supporting the platform's development as part of efforts to address transparency and liquidity gaps in lithium trading. The advisory group includes key stakeholders across the lithium supply chain.
• Liontown LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Liontown Ltd, an Australian lithium producer, joined Fastmarkets' industry advisory group for the digital spot platform for physical lithium trading. The company expressed support for the initiative as a means to address transparency and liquidity gaps in lithium markets. Liontown's participation reflects industry support for more structured market infrastructure aligned with the global energy transition.
• Sichuan Yahua Lithium GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Sichuan Yahua Lithium Group, a major Chinese lithium producer, committed to supporting Fastmarkets digital spot platform development through the industry advisory group. The CEO expressed support for the initiative citing the need for better market infrastructure to support the global energy transition. The platform aims to provide standardized bilateral trading conditions and better connectivity between producers, consumers and traders.
• CME GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 15 June 2026Fastmarkets will publish a one-time differential adjustment on August 28, 2026, to facilitate market transition when its methodology for lithium hydroxide assessments changes. This differential will be used by commodity exchanges (CME Group) and other contracts settling against the cif China, Japan & Korea price to adjust derivatives during the methodology transition period.
• DaikinminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Shin-Etsu Chemical formed a partnership with Daikin, the world's largest air conditioner manufacturer, to recover and recycle rare earth magnets from compressors starting in 2027. While this is a Shin-Etsu partnership, it demonstrates the rare earth supply chain collaboration ecosystem that Fastmarkets prices help facilitate.
• CME GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 30 April 2026CME Group launched new daily price assessment for used cooking oil (UCO) FOB Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Ghent (ARAG) based on Fastmarkets specifications. The partnership involves CME using Fastmarkets price assessments as underlying references for exchange-traded derivatives, enhancing price discovery and risk management capabilities for market participants.
• ExpanacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Fastmarkets and Expana formed a strategic partnership to strengthen forest products market intelligence. The collaboration integrates Fastmarkets' IOSCO-compliant price benchmarks covering pallets, wood, recovered paper, and packaging into Expana's platform. This combines Fastmarkets' upstream pricing data with Expana's downstream analytics to support faster, more confident decision-making in volatile forest products markets. Both companies emphasized the partnership aims to improve market transparency and deliver decision-critical intelligence to customers across the value chain.
• CME GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 12 February 2026CME Group announced plans to launch four South Asia edible oil futures contracts based on Fastmarkets Soyoil CFR India and Crude Palm Oil CFR West Coast India assessments. The contracts include two outright and two spread products designed to serve South Asian market participants managing soybean and palm oil price risk. ICAP will support by encouraging trading and growing liquidity.
• NOREXECOcoreTechnology or Integration · 9 December 2025Fastmarkets and NOREXECO launched two industry-first spot futures contracts for Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK) and Bleached Eucalyptus Kraft (BEK) pulp markets in Europe. The new contracts settle on spot indices reflecting net price levels, providing market participants with more accurate risk management tools. This expands Fastmarkets' global coverage of net prices for pulp following existing assessments for North America and China.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• S&P Global Commodity Insights (Platts): The largest global price reporting agency and Fastmarkets' most direct competitor. Platts covers oil, gas, petrochemicals, metals, agriculture, and other commodities with IOSCO-compliant benchmarks used widely in exchange-traded derivatives — directly overlapping with Fastmarkets' core PRA offering.
• Argus Media: Privately held global PRA covering energy, fertilizers, and key commodities including biomass/biofuels, hydrogen, and LPG. Argus directly competes with Fastmarkets in agriculture (fertilizers, grains, oils), forest products, and battery raw materials.
• ICIS (Independent Commodity Intelligence Services): Part of RELX, ICIS provides commodity intelligence across petrochemicals, fertilizers, and energy markets. ICIS overlaps with Fastmarkets in agriculture and chemicals price reporting and competes for benchmark mandates in adjacent verticals.
• CRU Group: London-based commodity research and price reporting firm covering metals, mining, fertilizers, and battery materials. CRU directly competes with Fastmarkets in metals/mining intelligence and critical minerals pricing.

Broad incumbents

• Wood Mackenzie: Verisk-owned provider of commercial intelligence for energy, metals, and renewables. Overlaps with Fastmarkets on commodity research, forecasts, and consulting services, particularly in energy transition and battery supply chains.
• Bloomberg Commodities: Bloomberg's commodities data, news, and analytics offering competes with Fastmarkets for enterprise subscriptions and is broadly used by financial market participants that overlap with Fastmarkets' exchange and trading customers.
• LSEG (Refinitiv) Commodity Data: London Stock Exchange Group's commodity data and analytics offering (formerly Refinitiv) provides benchmark prices, forecasts, and news across energy and metals. Competes with Fastmarkets for enterprise data licenses and exchange benchmark mandates.

Emerging players

• Rystad Energy: Independent energy research and commodity intelligence provider covering oil & gas, renewables, and metals. Rystad increasingly competes with Fastmarkets on energy transition and battery raw materials research.

Others

• CME Group: Major derivatives exchange and key customer/partner of Fastmarkets. CME launches futures contracts settled on Fastmarkets assessments (cobalt, edible oils, UCO) — making it both a strategic licensing partner and a customer that could internalize pricing in the long term.
• ICE (Intercontinental Exchange): Global exchange operator that could license Fastmarkets benchmarks for derivatives, or compete via its own pricing data products (e.g., ICE Futures, ICE Endex). Relevant ecosystem participant rather than direct PRA competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat8 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FastMarkets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fastmarkets

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fastmarkets