Shanghai: StoneX Group Inc has begun offering clients day-one access to Nickel futures and options listed on the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE), following regulatory approval that opens the contracts to international participants via the Overseas Intermediary (OI) route.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, StoneX said the move marks the first time the SHFE contracts have been made available to international participants through the OI mechanism, which provides regulated access to select onshore Chinese futures and options contracts.

StoneX Global Head of Metals, Michael Skinner, expressed enthusiasm about the development, stating, 'We are thrilled that StoneX clients can trade into the SHFE contract from the first day of market open, highlighting our unwavering focus on offering clients the best tools for their trading and hedging strategies. We remain committed to bringing the full suite of StoneX capabilities to our global clients, moving quickly to support how they access markets in ways that are most relevant to their objectives.'

StoneX noted that the addition allows clients to incorporate Chinese market pricing into broader risk management strategies alongside base metals contracts traded on the London Metal Exchange and CME Group. The company is the largest non-bank Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) with OI permissions, providing clients access to onshore Chinese exchange-traded derivatives. The SHFE Nickel contracts are among the most actively traded base metals contracts globally.