top of page
Search

Global Supply Trends and 2026 Market Shifts

  • Writer: simone blance
    simone blance
  • Feb 12
  • 1 min read

Cobalt exports from the DRC are now regulated under a quota system that started in late 2025 and continues through 2026–2027. Total annual export quotas are set around 96,600 tonnes per year, which is below previous production levels. 

As a result:

  • Analysts forecast an 11,000-tonne deficit in the cobalt market for 2026. 

  • This tighter market is driven by administrative changes in the DRC and global demand outpacing supply.

This tighter supply could influence battery prices worldwide and intensify debates over ethical versus cheap cobalt sourcing.

 
 
 

Recent Posts

See All
Why Ethical Cobalt Matters to You

Cobalt may seem like a distant commodity, but products made from it - like the phone in your hand or the battery in an EV -are directly tied to people’s lives in the DRC. As international pressure mou

 
 
 
Environmental and Governance Challenges

Cobalt mining also poses serious environmental concerns: Improper waste disposal and runoff from mining activities can contaminate water and soil. Large-scale deforestation and habitat loss occur aro

 
 
 
The Human Cost: Labor Abuses and Child Workers

A 2025-2026 review of cobalt supply chains highlights severe ethical problems in the DRC mining sector, especially in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Many workers operate in informal pits with

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page