Copper Between Funds and Fundamentals: What Happens Next?

We were delighted to host the 5th Annual CRU World Copper Conference Asia in Shanghai, 18-19 November 2026. Save these dates to your business calendar now

This important meeting for influential copper executives is an official part of Asia Copper Week and attracted a record 420+ attendees from the global community, growing by an extraordinary 34% this year! You can read about the key takeways from the 2025 conference here

The conference is run in collaboration with CESCO and China Minmetals Corporation. Join us next year at this important meeting at a crucial time of year for crucial discussions around the future state of the copper industry.

This is a conference focused on the issues shaping the copper market at a particularly important moment for the industry. From China’s evolving demand profile and concentrate tightness to shifting trade flows, secondary supply and the challenge of bringing on new mine capacity, the agenda is designed to address the questions market participants are asking most urgently.

More than ever, the value of timely, forward-looking insight is critical. World Copper Asia 2026 will provide a platform to better understand the physical, financial and strategic forces influencing price, availability and investment across the copper value chain.

CRU's World Copper Asia convenes key stakeholders across the region to unpack these issues. From Beijing’s push for greater mining equity to the redefinition of smelting in tech-centric value chains, this event focuses on how Asian industry leaders are navigating and reshaping the global copper map. Through strategic panels, spotlight case studies, and expert insights, we explore the shifting axis of power, investment, and innovation across the copper value chain.

Registration is now open for the 2026 event, so secure your place early for the best rate.

Register now

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Key themes addressed at the 2025 meeting

• The Evolving Smelting Landscape:
  Addressing low TC/RCs, government regulation, new partnerships and the shift towards downstream integration
• Mining, Recycling, and Smelting Intersection:
  

The increasing impact of scrap on smelting, its long-term effects on mine supply and the regulatory/technological advancements in copper recycling

• Supply Dynamics and Geopolitical Influence:
  How government critical minerals strategies distort supply, competition for resources and successful strategies for bringing major mining projects to market
• Market Outlook & Green Transition:
  The influence of energy traders, copper supply's impact on climate targets, potential substitution, and the long-term price and "green premium" outlook
• Shifting Value Chain:
  The redefinition of smelting/refining as strategic entry points into high-margin, technology-driven downstream sectors, attracting new investors even without direct mine ownership

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