VCM Expands Global Presence in Asia Through New Partnerships and Exchange Entrances

VCM Expands Its Reach in Asia with New Collaborations

On December 4, 2025, in Tokyo, the Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company (VCM) announced a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Marubeni Saudi Investment Company aimed at enhancing cooperation in the carbon market. This agreement marks a pivotal milestone in VCM's ambitions for global expansion as well as diversification across Asia.

Additionally, Climate Bridge International will serve as an advisory partner, helping to accelerate the development of carbon projects in Saudi Arabia and the Global South. Their involvement is crucial for integrating sustainability innovations and understanding policies that enhance multi-stakeholder collaboration, ultimately supporting organizations in designing and scaling strategies, programs, and partnerships that align with climate change initiatives.

The formation of these partnerships signals a strengthening of strategic alliances across Asia, elevating Saudi Arabia's profile as a credible global hub for reliable and consistent carbon markets. The initiative not only expands access to high-quality climate solutions but also fosters an environment where buyers and sellers of carbon credits can connect with a globally recognized platform characterized by transparency and trust.

The signing ceremony took place during the Future Investment Initiative (FII), held from November 30 to December 1 in Tokyo, where Fadi Sade, VCM’s interim CEO and Chief Technology Officer, represented the company. In attendance were His Excellency Ghazi bin Abdul Rahman Aljohani, Saudi Ambassador to Japan, and Rania Nashar, Chairman of VCM, who emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership.

Fadi Sade expressed that the collaboration signifies the importance of establishing a robust voluntary carbon market that aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiatives, as well as addressing the heightened interest of Asian companies in the Saudi economy related to sustainability and green investment.

Naoki Tamaki, the Chairman of Marubeni Saudi Investment Company, stated, “We are honored to sign this MoU with VCM. This partnership closely aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and combines VCM's expertise in building a highly reliable voluntary carbon market with Marubeni's global experience in carbon credit trading and renewable energy. Through this MoU, we aim to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s transition to a low-carbon economy while supporting the establishment of a transparent and reliable ecosystem for carbon markets, ultimately fostering sustainable economic growth in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East region.”

Alvin Lim, CEO at Climate Bridge International, remarked, “Our partnership with VCM will blend their market-building capabilities with our project development expertise. We believe we can contribute to the development of technically robust and investable next-generation carbon projects complying with the highest integrity standards in regions like Saudi Arabia and around the world.”

VCM launched the first voluntary carbon credit exchange platform in Saudi Arabia on November 12, 2024. This platform is strategically designed to meet the growing market demands for transparency, scalability, and liquidity. Key features include an open market connectivity integrated with major global registries, price discovery capabilities essential for pricing signals to projects in the MENA region, and infrastructure for carbon credit trading compliant with Islamic finance.

The voluntary carbon offset market is projected to grow from $2 billion in 2020 to approximately $250 billion by 2050. To stimulate growth in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East's voluntary carbon markets, VCM's exchange is designed to offer institutional-grade infrastructure, enabling rapid and secure transactions for both buyers and sellers.

About VCM

Established in October 2022 by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) and the Saudi Tadawul Group, VCM aims to rapidly and broadly develop a reliable voluntary carbon market with global impact. PIF owns 80% and the Saudi Tadawul Group holds 20% of VCM. By prioritizing high-quality carbon credits and proactive climate change initiatives, the company is committed to building a comprehensive ecosystem that includes both a trading platform for voluntary carbon credits and advisory services to support corporate decarbonization efforts.

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