Carbon Market Roundtable Spotlights Growth of Digital Carbon as a Financial Asset

New York, NY – September 25, 2025 – At a roundtable hosted by Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP and Northern Trust, Deanna Reitman, partner at Faegre Drinker, opened the discussion on how voluntary carbon credits (VCCs) can evolve into trusted financial assets. The session gathered leaders across law, finance, and sustainability to examine governance, digitalization, and market credibility.

Among the attendees was Roberta Mazzariol, Managing Director at Adamas Carbon, who reflected on the themes raised during the discussion. “Scaling the VCM requires more than growth projections—it requires a system that buyers, investors, and regulators can trust. Without transparency, liquidity, and reliable standards, the market risks falling short of its potential,” she said, noting concerns around fragmented registries and price discovery.

Data shared during the session illustrated the stakes: the carbon market, valued at $2 billion today, could reach $165 billion by 2050. Yet significant hurdles remain, from high financing costs to long project registration timelines and buyer skepticism. “Carbon markets can only scale if both supply and demand move in sync,” Mazzariol observed. “That means de-risking project investment while addressing buyers’ concerns about quality.”

The roundtable closed with consensus on next steps: reducing conflicts of interest in standard-setting, improving transparency, and enabling financing mechanisms to unlock supply. As Mazzariol summed up: “If done right, carbon credits can become not just environmental tools but trusted financial assets. Digitalization and financialization aren’t optional—they’re essential.”