Carbon Market Network
Buying carbon credits sounds simple until you try it. You open a registry, find thousands of projects, and wonder which ones deserve your money.
That is where a carbon credit procurement platform helps. It turns a messy, slow, opaque process into a structured one.
This guide covers the ten platforms buyers talk about most, what each does best, and how to pick the right fit.
You do not need to be an expert to follow it. A basic idea of what a carbon credit is will do.
What Is a Carbon Credit Procurement Platform?
A carbon credit procurement platform is a digital service that helps companies find, vet, buy, and manage carbon credits.
Think of it as a purchasing department for carbon. It replaces scattered emails, spreadsheets, and broker calls with one workflow.
Most platforms cover some or all of these jobs:
- Sourcing: finding projects that match your needs
- Due diligence: checking project quality and risk
- Pricing: comparing offers and benchmarks
- Contracting: handling spot purchases, forward deals, and offtakes
- Retirement: cancelling credits in a registry so nobody can reuse them
- Reporting: producing evidence for auditors and disclosure frameworks
Some platforms also help you plan a carbon credit strategy before you buy anything.
Carbon Market Insider Newsletter
Weekly insights on carbon markets, climate policy, carbon credits, and sustainability.
Carbon Credit Procurement Platform vs Marketplace vs Exchange
People use these terms loosely, but they mean different things.
A marketplace lets you browse and buy projects, much like an online shop.
An exchange lists standardised contracts that many buyers and sellers trade, so it focuses on price discovery and liquidity.
A procurement platform goes further. It supports the whole buying journey, from strategy to retirement and reporting.
| Type | Main job | Best for | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procurement platform | End-to-end sourcing, diligence, and management | Corporate sustainability teams | Mid-size and large companies |
| Marketplace | Browse and buy individual projects | Quick, smaller purchases | SMEs, startups, product teams |
| Exchange | Trade standardised contracts | Price discovery and volume | Traders, large buyers, intermediaries |
| Ratings and data platform | Score project quality and track prices | Due diligence and benchmarking | Buyers, investors, developers |
| Settlement network | Move credits and payments securely | Institutional transactions | Banks and their clients |
Many platforms blend two or three of these roles. Keep that in mind as you read the list.
Why Procurement Platforms Matter Right Now
The voluntary carbon market has changed fast. Buyers now care far more about quality than volume.
Recent market data shows retirements falling in volume while their total value held up. Buyers are spending more per credit and buying fewer low-quality ones.
Three shifts explain why platforms matter more than ever.
Quality Labels Are Reshaping Buying
The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) created the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label. It marks credits that meet a defined quality bar.
CCP-labelled credits now make up more than a quarter of new issuance in recent data. Buyers have also reported paying a premium for them, often around 25 percent.
A good platform helps you spot labelled supply quickly.
Corporate Standards Are Opening Up
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) released a revised Corporate Net-Zero Standard. For the first time, it formally recognises a role for carbon credits.
Credits still do not count toward your near-term reduction targets. But companies can gain recognition for funding mitigation beyond their own value chain.
The standard also introduces mandatory carbon removal purchasing for large companies from the mid-2030s, starting at a small share of emissions and rising over time.
That means more companies will need a proper procurement process.
Demand Is Concentrated and Fragile
Microsoft has accounted for the large majority of historical durable carbon removal purchases. When it reportedly paused new removal purchases, the whole sector felt it.
Buyers can learn from this. Diversify your suppliers and avoid relying on a single project type.
Platforms with broad supply make that easier.
How We Selected These Platforms
We looked at what a buyer actually needs. Each platform on this list is active, credible, and useful for a specific type of buyer.
We checked these factors:
- Scope: how much of the buying journey it covers
- Supply breadth: how many projects and credit types you can access
- Due diligence: how it screens quality and risk
- Transparency: how clearly it shows pricing and project data
- Flexibility: spot purchases, forward deals, and offtakes
- Reporting: audit-ready documentation
- Market reach: the buyers, sellers, and partners around it
The list below is grouped by how each platform works. It is not a strict ranking, because the best choice depends on your needs.
The Top 10 Carbon Credit Procurement Platforms
1. Patch
Patch started in 2020 as a carbon credit marketplace and API that let other companies embed offsetting in their products. In 2025 it launched a full buyer platform for enterprise procurement.
Today it combines software, market data, and expert advisory. Patch says more than 500 companies use it.
Its database covers more than 25,000 projects, including all projects from ICROA-endorsed registries. Patch says it does not own or invest in the projects it recommends.
Patch supports the full journey: strategy, sourcing, due diligence, purchasing, and portfolio management. It also handles RFPs and multi-year offtake agreements.
Best for: Companies that want one system and expert support to run a carbon program at scale.
Watch out for: Pricing is bespoke and tied to volume and services, so expect to request a quote.
2. Senken
Senken is a Berlin-based procurement partner founded in 2022. It focuses on audit-ready carbon credits and removals for corporate buyers.
Its core tool is the Sustainability Integrity Index, a due-diligence review of more than 600 data points per project. Senken says it has analysed more than 6,200 projects and admits only about the top five percent into its portfolio.
Large European companies such as Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and DZ Bank buy through Senken.
It supports spot purchases, forward deals, and multi-year offtakes for permanent removals. It also provides documentation for CSRD, CDP, and SBTi reporting.
Best for: Enterprises that want strict screening and defensible documentation, especially in Europe.
Watch out for: It uses a guided process, not an instant self-serve checkout.
3. Abatable
Abatable runs structured RFPs for carbon credit buyers. An RFP, or request for proposal, invites many suppliers to bid against your brief so you can compare offers fairly.
Its platform has a Buyers Hub for running RFPs and managing portfolios. It adds pricing benchmarks, forward price curves, and policy data.
You can run the process yourself or have Abatable manage it for you. The company says it has facilitated more than 55 million tonnes for over 200 corporate buyers.
Abatable also works with suppliers, so buyers get access to a wide developer network. It signs procurement mandates before sourcing supply, so demand is firm.
Best for: Buyers who want competitive bidding and hard pricing evidence for their board or CFO.
Watch out for: It suits planned programs better than one-off small purchases.
4. Carbon Direct
Carbon Direct pairs a science team with carbon procurement. It built its reputation by advising Microsoft on high-quality carbon removal criteria.
The firm helps buyers build portfolios that balance reductions and removals. It leans toward durable carbon removal, which stores carbon for centuries or longer.
It also publishes widely read market research on retirements, prices, and corporate demand.
Best for: Buyers who want scientific defensibility and a removals-focused strategy.
Watch out for: It works as an advisory partner, so expect a more hands-on engagement than a pure software tool.
5. Sylvera
Sylvera is best known for independent carbon credit ratings. A rating scores a project’s quality and risk so you can compare projects on a consistent basis.
Its platform also offers market intelligence on supply, demand, and pricing. Its Market Gateway gives buyers access to more than 400 million tonnes of available inventory.
Sylvera also covers CORSIA and Article 6 markets, which matters if you want compliance-eligible credits.
Many buyers use Sylvera alongside another procurement tool. Ratings and data help you check what you are about to buy.
Best for: Buyers who want independent quality scores and market data behind every decision.
Watch out for: Ratings do not cover every project or vintage, so check coverage before you rely on them.
6. Cloverly
Cloverly was founded in 2019 and launched one of the first APIs for carbon credits. An API lets one piece of software talk to another, so companies can embed carbon purchasing inside their own products.
It works on both sides of the market. Buyers can purchase credits or integrate offsetting into checkout flows and supply chains.
Suppliers use Cloverly’s Catalyst software to manage inventory, pricing, payments, and delivery.
Big payment and software brands have used Cloverly’s tools to add carbon options to their platforms.
Best for: Product and technology teams that want to embed carbon credit purchasing into their own services.
Watch out for: It suits API-led use cases more than a large strategy-heavy corporate program.
7. Carbonfuture
Carbonfuture focuses on durable carbon removal. It provides digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (dMRV) for removal projects, plus a marketplace for buyers.
Its technology tracks removal from capture through storage. For example, it can follow biochar from the production site to where it is used.
It supports biochar, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, direct air capture, and mineralisation. It has worked with well-known buyers such as Microsoft and Swiss Re.
For removal buyers, that traceability reduces delivery and quality risk.
Best for: Buyers who want verified, traceable durable removals.
Watch out for: Its focus is removals, so it will not cover avoidance credits.
8. Xpansiv CBL
Xpansiv operates CBL, the largest spot exchange for voluntary carbon credits. It formed when CBL Markets, founded in 2009, merged with Xpansiv in 2019.
CBL lists standardised contracts so buyers do not have to evaluate thousands of individual projects. Examples include the Global Emissions Offset (GEO), the Nature-Based Global Emissions Offset (N-GEO), and the Core Global Emissions Offset (C-GEO).
The C-GEO contract aligns with the ICVCM’s Core Carbon Principles. GEO futures also trade on CME Group.
This model gives you price discovery and liquidity. It works best when you buy in volume and know what you want.
Best for: Experienced buyers and traders who want transparent prices and standardised contracts.
Watch out for: You need in-house expertise, because an exchange does not do due diligence for you.
9. ACX (AirCarbon Exchange)
ACX is a global carbon exchange with a regulated hub in Abu Dhabi. ACX Abu Dhabi is licensed as a Recognised Investment Exchange and Recognised Clearing House under ADGM’s financial regulator, and it describes itself as the first fully regulated spot carbon exchange of its kind.
Members can trade through the exchange and through a Carbon Markets Board, an over-the-counter facility where many trades are arranged.
ACX offers contracts such as CORSIA-eligible tonnes. It has expanded through local partners, including an exchange in Brazil with the B3 stock exchange. Investors include Mubadala and Deutsche Börse.
Best for: Buyers who value regulated infrastructure, especially in the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.
Watch out for: As with any exchange, you still do your own project vetting.
10. Climate Impact X and Carbonplace
Climate Impact X (CIX) is a Singapore-based exchange and project marketplace. DBS, Singapore Exchange, Standard Chartered, and Temasek founded it. It offers an exchange for large volumes and a marketplace for buying directly from projects.
Carbonplace is a London-based transaction network built by a group of major banks. It works like a settlement layer, so buyers and sellers can transact through banks they already trust.
The two companies have announced their intent to merge, subject to regulatory approval. The goal is to combine CIX’s exchange and procurement tools with Carbonplace’s multi-registry settlement system.
If it completes, institutional buyers could get a more connected path from trade to settlement to retirement.
Best for: Banks, financial institutions, and corporates that want bank-grade settlement and custody.
Watch out for: The merger still depends on approvals, so check the current status before you commit.
Top 10 Carbon Credit Procurement Platforms Compared
| Platform | Model | Main strength | Best for | Pricing approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patch | Procurement software plus advisory | 25,000+ projects, end-to-end workflow | Enterprise programs | Bespoke |
| Senken | Procurement partner | 600+ point integrity screening | European enterprises | Guided, quote-based |
| Abatable | RFP platform plus data | Competitive bidding, benchmarks | Planned, multi-year buying | Not published |
| Carbon Direct | Science-led advisory | Durable removal expertise | Removal-focused buyers | Engagement-based |
| Sylvera | Ratings and market data | Independent quality scores | Due diligence | Subscription tiers |
| Cloverly | API and marketplace | Embedded offsetting | Product and tech teams | Per transaction and platform |
| Carbonfuture | Removal marketplace and dMRV | Traceable durable removals | Removal buyers | Transaction-based |
| Xpansiv CBL | Spot exchange | Liquidity, benchmark contracts | Experienced buyers and traders | Market price plus fees |
| ACX | Regulated exchange | Regulated clearing, OTC board | Global and regional buyers | Market price plus fees |
| CIX and Carbonplace | Exchange plus settlement | Bank-led settlement network | Institutional buyers | Market price plus fees |
Always confirm current pricing and features directly with each provider. Terms change often.
Which Platform Fits Your Needs?
Your size, budget, and goals decide the answer. Use this guide as a starting point.
| If you are… | Consider… |
|---|---|
| A large company building a full carbon program | Patch, Senken, or Abatable |
| A team that needs scientific backing for removals | Carbon Direct or Carbonfuture |
| A buyer who wants independent quality checks | Sylvera, alongside your main platform |
| A software or e-commerce company embedding offsetting | Cloverly |
| A trader or experienced buyer who wants liquidity | Xpansiv CBL or ACX |
| A financial institution needing settlement rails | CIX and Carbonplace |
| A small business with a small budget | A marketplace with a clear checkout, or a platform that offers entry-level plans |
Many mature buyers combine tools. For example, they might source through a procurement platform and verify with an independent rating.
How to Choose a Carbon Credit Procurement Platform: Step by Step
A clear process saves you from expensive mistakes. Follow these steps.
- Define your purpose. Decide why you are buying. Reporting needs, customer demands, and internal climate targets all shape the answer.
- Set your budget and volume. Know roughly how many tonnes you need and what you can spend.
- Choose your credit mix. Decide how much you want from avoidance, nature-based removal, and durable removal.
- Shortlist two or three platforms. Match them to your size and goals using the table above.
- Ask for a sample due-diligence report. See exactly what the platform checks and how it scores risk.
- Test the pricing. Ask how the platform makes money, whether fees are bundled, and how it shows price per tonne.
- Check delivery and replacement terms. Ask what happens if a project underdelivers or a credit is reversed.
- Confirm reporting support. Make sure it produces the evidence your auditors and disclosure frameworks need.
- Run a small pilot. Start with a modest purchase before you commit to a multi-year deal.
- Review regularly. Check your portfolio at least once a year as rules and prices shift.
What to Look for in a Platform
Use this checklist when you compare vendors.
Credit Quality and Due Diligence
Ask how the platform screens projects. Look for independent ratings, ICVCM CCP labels, and registry checks.
Also check how it handles risks such as overestimated baselines and permanence.
Supply Breadth
A wider catalogue gives you better pricing and more choice. But breadth only helps if the platform filters out weak projects.
Contract Flexibility
You may want spot purchases for immediate needs. You may also want forward purchases or offtakes to lock in supply and price.
Offtake agreements are especially useful for removals, because supply is limited.
Transparency on Fees
Some platforms charge a margin built into the price. Others charge a platform fee or subscription.
Ask for a clear breakdown so you know what you pay for.
Registry and Retirement Handling
The platform should retire credits in a public registry and give you a retirement certificate. That proves nobody else can claim the same tonne.
Reporting and Audit Support
Look for documents you can hand straight to an auditor. This saves your team a lot of time.
Understanding Credit Types Before You Buy
A platform is only as useful as your plan. Know the main credit types first.
| Credit type | What it does | Typical permanence | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avoidance or reduction | Prevents emissions that would otherwise happen | Not applicable | Lower |
| Nature-based removal | Removes carbon through forests, soils, or wetlands | Decades | Low to medium |
| Durable removal | Removes and stores carbon for centuries or longer | 100 to 1,000+ years | Highest |
Recent market data shows average credit prices in the mid-single-digit dollars per tonne. Durable removals cost far more, with many methods ranging from roughly 50 to 500 dollars per tonne.
That gap explains why your credit mix drives your budget.
Real-World Ways Companies Use These Platforms
Examples help make this concrete.
A mid-size software company might use a procurement platform to build a mixed portfolio. It buys nature-based credits for near-term needs and signs a small removal offtake for the future.
A bank might use a settlement network so its corporate clients can buy credits through familiar banking channels.
An airline might focus on CORSIA-eligible credits. Airlines have started retiring these credits as the aviation scheme ramps up, and eligible supply is limited.
An e-commerce brand might use an API to offer carbon-neutral shipping at checkout, though marketing claims need care (more on that below).
Common Mistakes Buyers Make
Avoid these traps.
- Buying on price alone. The cheapest credit is often the riskiest.
- Skipping due diligence. A glossy project page proves nothing.
- Relying on one project. A single failure can sink your whole claim.
- Ignoring vintage. The year a credit was generated affects quality and price.
- Overclaiming. Say what you actually did, and no more.
- Forgetting the exit plan. Know how you will retire and report every credit.
- Waiting too long on removals. Durable supply is tight, so early offtakes can secure better terms.
Regulation and Claims You Need to Watch
Rules around green claims are tightening, especially in Europe.
The EU Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive now restricts product-level claims such as “climate neutral” when they rest only on offsetting. This applies to marketing aimed at EU consumers, wherever the company is based.
It does not ban carbon credits. It limits how you describe them in consumer marketing.
So use accurate language. Describe the credits you retired and the projects you funded, rather than claiming your product has no climate impact.
Voluntary guidance from groups like the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) can also help you make credible claims.
A good platform will give you the evidence you need. But check your wording with a legal or sustainability expert before you publish.
Where Procurement Platforms Are Heading
Several trends will shape the next few years.
- More compliance demand. Schemes such as CORSIA and new national carbon markets will pull more credits into regulated use.
- More automation. Platforms already use AI to shortlist projects and speed up diligence.
- More consolidation. The planned merger of CIX and Carbonplace shows how infrastructure players are joining forces.
- More focus on removals. Corporate standards now point toward larger removal purchases over time.
- Better data. Digital monitoring and independent ratings keep improving, which helps buyers trust what they buy.
Expect the line between marketplaces, exchanges, and procurement platforms to keep blurring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a carbon credit procurement platform?
A carbon credit procurement platform is a digital service that helps companies source, vet, buy, and manage carbon credits. It usually covers strategy, due diligence, purchasing, retirement, and reporting.
What is the best carbon credit procurement platform?
There is no single best option. Patch, Senken, and Abatable suit enterprise buyers. Carbon Direct and Carbonfuture suit removal-focused buyers. Xpansiv CBL and ACX suit experienced traders.
How do carbon credit procurement platforms make money?
Models vary. Some add a margin to the credit price. Others charge platform fees, subscriptions, or advisory fees. Always ask for a clear fee breakdown.
What is the difference between a carbon credit marketplace and a procurement platform?
A marketplace lets you browse and buy projects. A procurement platform supports the full buying journey, including strategy, diligence, contracting, and reporting.
Can small businesses use a carbon credit procurement platform?
Yes. Some platforms and marketplaces offer simple checkout options for smaller purchases. Larger, guided platforms usually suit bigger programs.
How much do carbon credits cost?
Prices vary widely by project type. Recent data shows average prices in the mid-single-digit dollars per tonne, while durable removals can cost roughly 50 to 500 dollars per tonne.
What are CCP-labelled credits?
CCP-labelled credits meet the Core Carbon Principles set by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market. The label signals that a credit meets a defined quality benchmark.
Do I need a platform to buy carbon credits?
No. You can buy directly from a project developer or through a broker. A platform helps most when you buy often, buy at scale, or need strong documentation.
Are carbon credits allowed to count toward my SBTi targets?
Under the revised SBTi standard, credits do not count toward your near-term reduction targets. You can gain recognition for funding mitigation beyond your value chain, and large companies must buy removals in later years.
How do I know a credit is high quality?
Check for independent ratings, CCP labels, registry records, clear additionality, strong monitoring, and sound permanence safeguards. A good platform does this work with you.
Conclusion: Choose a Carbon Credit Procurement Platform That Fits Your Goals
A good carbon credit procurement platform saves time, cuts risk, and gives you proof of what you bought.
Patch, Senken, and Abatable suit companies running structured programs. Carbon Direct and Carbonfuture suit buyers focused on removals. Sylvera adds independent ratings. Cloverly fits embedded use cases. Xpansiv CBL, ACX, and the CIX and Carbonplace pairing serve exchange and institutional needs.
Start with your goals, set a clear budget, and test your shortlist with a small pilot.
Then build a diversified portfolio, report honestly, and review it every year.
The right platform will not just help you buy credits. It will help you buy credits you can defend.
Explore more guides, tools, and resources on Carbon Market Network to deepen your understanding of carbon markets and emissions measurement.