LME
The London Metal Exchange (LME) operates the world's largest base-metals exchange, offering standardized futures and options contracts on copper, aluminum, nickel, tin, and zinc to industrial hedgers and financial traders globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1877
- HeadquartersLa Louvière, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What LME does
The London Metal Exchange (LME) is one of the world's oldest and largest commodity exchanges for base metals, founded in 1877 and acquired by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) in 2012. It operates a centralized electronic trading platform offering standardized futures and options contracts on copper, aluminum, nickel, tin, and zinc, with copper futures serving as the global benchmark price for industrial metals. In January 2026, LME copper reached an all-time high surpassing $14,400 per ton, and global copper exchange inventories surged to over 1.1 million metric tons for the first time since 2003. Note: firmographic data in the source (Belgium-based entity, founded 1996, 11-50 employees, lme.be, described as a "European center for enterprise and innovation") appears inconsistent with the London Metal Exchange (lme.com, founded 1877) and may reflect a separate entity conflated under the shared "LME" name; this analysis is grounded in the substantive business data describing the London Metal Exchange.
LME firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LME
- Legal name
- London Metal Exchange
- Website
- https://lme.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1877
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The London Metal Exchange (LME) operates the world's largest base-metals exchange, offering standardized futures and options contracts on copper, aluminum, nickel, tin, and zinc to industrial hedgers and financial traders globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LME industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commodity Exchange Services
- NAICS
- Securities and Commodity Exchanges (5232), Commodity Contracts Intermediation (52316)
- SIC
- Commodity Contracts Brokers & Dealers (6221)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metals Commodities Exchanges (Precious & Base Metals) (FSAFAMAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commodity Derivatives Exchanges (Futures & Options on Commodities) (FSAFAMAG), Metals Derivatives Exchanges (Precious & Base Metals) (FSAFABAE)
Keywords
Where LME is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Louvière
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
LME business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Exchange Trading Fees: LME generates revenue through transaction fees charged on futures and options contracts traded on the exchange, including clearing fees and settlement charges
Distribution channels1 record
LME product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The London Metal Exchange operates a centralized electronic marketplace for standardized base metals futures and options contracts (copper, aluminum, nickel, tin, zinc). It provides physical delivery settlement through a global network of warranted warehouses, real-time price discovery as the global benchmark for industrial metals, and inventory data services tracking warranted metal stocks across exchange facilities.
Product overview
LME (London Metal Exchange) operates as a commodity exchange offering futures and options contracts on base metals including copper, aluminum, nickel, tin, and zinc. The exchange provides a centralized marketplace for price discovery and physical metal delivery through its network of warranted warehouses. Key products include copper futures contracts serving as the global benchmark price, the LME warehouse system providing physical metal storage and warranting services, and inventory data services tracking metal stocks across exchange facilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LME Copper Futures Standardized copper futures contracts traded on the London Metal Exchange, representing the global benchmark price for copper. Used by industrial consumers for hedging raw material costs and by financial traders for speculative exposure and risk management.
- LME Warehouse System Exchange-operated network of warranted metal storage facilities (including locations in Baltimore and New Orleans) that hold physical copper and other base metals and issue warrants enabling physical delivery against futures contracts. Used by industrial consumers, metal producers, and trading firms for physical settlement of contracts.
- LME Inventory Data Services Real-time inventory tracking and reporting services providing data on warranted metal stocks across LME warehouse facilities globally. Used by traders, analysts, and industrial participants for market transparency; Chinese brands represent 70% of LME-warranted copper stocks.
Companies that use LME
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
LME technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
LME partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
LME competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE): China's leading metals futures exchange offering copper, aluminum, and zinc contracts; the primary regional competitor whose growth is the source of LME management's 'fragmentation' concerns.
- CME Group: Operates COMEX, the principal US-based metals futures exchange competing directly with LME for global copper and precious-metals benchmark pricing and trading volume.
Emerging players
- Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX): Indian commodity derivatives exchange offering base-metals futures; an emerging regional player gaining share as India's metals consumption grows.
Regional players
- Singapore Exchange (SGX): Asia-based multi-asset exchange with metals-derivatives products, particularly rubber and steel; competes for regional hedging flows that might otherwise route through LME.
- Wiener Börse (Vienna Stock Exchange): Operates a Central European commodity exchange with base-metals and agricultural derivatives; a smaller regional competitor serving European industrial hedging needs.
- Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM, now JPX): Japan-based commodity exchange offering base-metals and energy derivatives; a regional Asian venue overlapping with LME in industrial-metals hedging.
- Bursa Malaysia (for tin derivatives): Operates the historical tin benchmark via its Kuala Lumpur Tin Market; a regional competitor whose tin franchise overlaps directly with LME's tin contracts.
Broad incumbents
- Intercontinental Exchange (ICE): Global multi-asset exchange operator with metals and energy derivatives; broader and more diversified than LME but overlapping in base-metals futures trading.
- Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX): Parent company of LME since 2012 and a multi-asset exchange operator; serves as both owner and broader incumbent peer with overlapping commodity ambitions in Asia.
Others
- LME Clear: LME's own clearing subsidiary; included as an internal infrastructure reference rather than a competitor — illustrates the integrated exchange-plus-clearing model that constitutes LME's structural moat.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LME social profiles
Digital presenceLME financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LME leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
LME funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LME M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LME
What does LME do?
The London Metal Exchange operates a centralized electronic marketplace for standardized base metals futures and options contracts (copper, aluminum, nickel, tin, zinc). It provides physical delivery settlement through a global network of warranted warehouses, real-time price discovery as the global benchmark for industrial metals, and inventory data services tracking warranted metal stocks across exchange facilities.
When was LME founded?
LME was founded in 1877. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LME based?
LME is headquartered in La Louvière, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does LME make money?
One revenue line is on record: exchange Trading Fees.
Who are LME's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE) and CME Group. Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Singapore Exchange (SGX), Wiener Börse (Vienna Stock Exchange), Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM, now JPX) and Bursa Malaysia (for tin derivatives). Broad incumbents are Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX). LME Clear is listed as an others.
Does LME have an API?
No public API is recorded for LME.
What industry is LME in?
LME's product category is Commodity Exchange Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAFAMAD, Metals Commodities Exchanges (Precious & Base Metals), with a secondary code of FSAFAMAG, Commodity Derivatives Exchanges (Futures & Options on Commodities). Its NAICS code is 5232 and its SIC code is 6221.