News Release

Feb. 24, 2026 TOCOM Tokyo Commodity Exchange Welcomes The Hokuriku Bank as a Broker Member for Participating in TOCOM Electricity Futures Trading

Tokyo Commodity Exchange, Inc. (TOCOM) has today approved The Hokuriku Bank, Ltd. as a TOCOM Broker Member. The Hokuriku Bank has also been approved by Japan Securities Clearing Corporation for an Energy Futures Clearing Qualification on the same date.
The Hokuriku Bank will be the 11th Broker Member of TOCOM and the 12th Energy Futures Clearing Member starting from the scheduled Membership acquisition date of March 16, 2026, and will become able to offer services from brokerage to clearing of TOCOM’s Electricity (Power) Futures to market participants.
The Hokuriku Bank will be the first regional financial institution in Japan to acquire a Broker Member qualification from TOCOM.

New Broker Member Overview

Comment from The Hokuriku Bank

We are very honored and pleased to be able to offer a new type of transaction as a TOCOM Broker Member.
As one of only five banks in Japan with a license to engage in the commodity derivatives business, we already provide our customers with hedging tools to address price fluctuation risks across various commodities, including crude oil and non-ferrous metals such as copper and aluminum, thereby supporting companies’ stable operations.
By entering into the electricity futures market, we will leverage the extensive knowledge and experience we have cultivated in the commodity futures trading business. By improving domestic market liquidity and increasing the number of market participants, we will help stabilize power prices and expand risk management options in the energy sector.
As a regional bank, we believe that contributing to the development of the regional economy and the realization of a sustainable society is an important mission. Our entry into the electricity futures market will also support regional companies and local governments conduct business operations under stable power prices, and contribute to the revitalization of the regional economy and the promotion of renewable energy and decarbonization by stabilizing the electricity market.
We will continue to meet the various needs of our customers and build a sustainable future together with the region.

Comment from Tokyo Commodity Exchange

We are pleased to welcome The Hokuriku Bank to our TOCOM market as a new Broker Member. The Hokuriku Bank’s participation will be the first case of a Japanese regional financial institution in the listed commodity futures market. We expect The Hokuriku Bank to develop comprehensive new financial services, including electricity futures trading, and drive innovation for customers not only in the Hokuriku region but also in other regions.
Regarding the TOCOM electricity futures market, due to growing hedging needs against electricity price fluctuations, the annual trading volume in 2025 reached approximately 4,583 GWh, about five times higher than the previous year, setting a new all-time high. Additionally, TOCOM is actively engaged in developing the electricity market ecosystem by improving investor convenience. We will contribute to this by listing new Chubu-area products in April and transitioning to Phase 2 of the linkage services for spot and futures trading (JJ-Link) this summer. We believe that the expansion of the TOCOM electricity futures market will contribute to the stabilization of the price of electricity—an essential element of daily life—which will ultimately lead to the stability of people’s livelihoods. We are confident that The Hokuriku Bank’s participation in the TOCOM electricity futures market will further diversify investor participation and improve market liquidity.