# CarbonCredits.trade

> An independent explainer of how carbon credits are issued, bought, sold and retired across the voluntary and compliance carbon markets, and what drives pricing.

Published by Agochar Tech LLP, Rajkot, Gujarat, India. Last reviewed: 2026-10-23. Single-page guide in English.

## Key answer

In the carbon credit market, projects that cut or remove emissions are checked by independent auditors, and a registry then issues credits with serial numbers. Developers, brokers and retailers sell those credits to companies and individuals. A credit is used up when its owner retires it on the registry, which removes it from trading for good.

## Sections

- [What is being traded in the carbon credit market?](https://carboncredits.trade/#what-is-traded): A carbon credit is a unit on a registry that stands for one tonne of CO₂-equivalent avoided or removed by a certified project, and it can change owners many times before it is finally retired.
- [How does a carbon credit move through the market?](https://carboncredits.trade/#how-the-market-works): Every carbon credit follows the same six-stage path, from a project on the ground to a retirement record on a registry.
- [What is the difference between voluntary and compliance carbon markets?](https://carboncredits.trade/#voluntary-vs-compliance): Compliance carbon markets are created by law and cover regulated emitters, while the voluntary carbon market is where anyone can buy credits by choice.
- [What drives the price of a carbon credit?](https://carboncredits.trade/#what-drives-price): Carbon credit prices are set by negotiation between buyers and sellers, and they vary widely because credits differ in type, quality, age and how many are available.
- [How can you buy carbon credits as a non-trader?](https://carboncredits.trade/#how-to-buy): You do not need a trading account to buy carbon credits; most individuals and companies buy through a retailer in five steps.
- [Who keeps the market honest?](https://carboncredits.trade/#registries-and-standards): The carbon market relies on standards that write the rules, auditors who check projects, and registries that track every credit.
- [Frequently asked questions](https://carboncredits.trade/#faq): 8 short answers to common questions on this topic.

## Related resources

- [BuyCarbonOffsets.org](https://buycarbonoffsets.org/): carbon offset shop where credits can be purchased
- [HowToBuyCarbonCredits.com](https://howtobuycarboncredits.com/): in-depth buyer's guide to carbon credits

## Optional

- [Full page text](https://carboncredits.trade/llms-full.txt): the complete guide as Markdown, including tables and FAQ