- Bilateral block transaction settled via CBL secure platform demonstrates robust market infrastructure to support market-based solutions
- Methane certificates are emerging as a key solution to meet European methane and US data center requirements with independently validated methane emissions intensity data
NEW YORK, LONDON, SYDNEY— March 25, 2026 — Xpansiv, the leading infrastructure provider for the global energy transition markets, and MiQ, the not-for-profit independent methane certification provider, today announced the completion of a transaction of 3.5 million MiQ Certificates on the Xpansiv CBL spot exchange. The transaction—between a leading European energy supplier and an integrated energy major— reflects burgeoning interest in certified methane emissions intensity tracking to meet regional compliance regimes and voluntary industry and company-level programs.
“This landmark transaction exemplifies the power of market-based solutions to support impactful methane emissions intensity measurement and management,” said Georges Tijbosch, CEO, MiQ. “Our program gives buyers the trusted, independently verified emissions data they need to make smart choices—raising the bar for openness and accountability in the natural gas industry.”
Rigorous tracking and validation of methane emissions intensity is central to regional compliance regulations, including the European Union Methane Regulation, which requires measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) using quantification of measurement and site-level emission data beginning in December.
Technology companies are also exploring the use of MiQ Certificates to track the methane emissions intensity of natural gas supplies used to power existing and new AI data centers that support artificial intelligence computing. The US Energy Information Administration projects that domestic natural gas use will increase by as much as 7.3 percent between 2025 and 2027, driven primarily by data center demand.[i]
The CBL-settled transaction was between a European buyer and an integrated energy major, which certified the underlying supply of 3.5 MMBtus of U.S.-produced natural gas using the MiQ Standard. It was settled through the Xpansiv CBL spot exchange. The exchange’s post-trade infrastructure enables negotiated OTC transactions to be securely settled between hundreds of CBL participants without bilateral counterparty agreements.
“We are excited to support the energy sector’s transition to certified natural gas by providing secure and scalable market infrastructure to transact and settle these innovative instruments,” said Xpansiv CEO John Melby. “This transaction sets a new benchmark for the integration of verified environmental performance in the global energy markets, enhancing precision, rigor, and integrity in responsible natural gas sourcing.”
According to the International Energy Agency, natural gas certification can help buyers make more informed decisions by providing independently verified greenhouse gas intensity data at select stages of the supply chain, from production and processing to storage and transport, excluding final consumption.[ii]
[i] https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67344
[ii] https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/1f42328c-93da-4725-91e9-cbacb68453c2/Prospectsfornaturalgascertification.pdf
