Is Air the Next Big Currency? How Oxygen Could Be Bought, Sold, and Controlled in the Future 

There are many ideas in finance/economics that sound like something out of science fiction; digital currencies, markets priced via algorithms, and the ability to purchase/trade any asset globally within mere milliseconds. What if one day we have the ability to purchase/trade on the world’s largest commodity market? What if oxygen was a traded product? 

As time passes with the rapid change in the climate/environment, coupled with advances in technology, and companies getting increasingly involved with natural resource use, the focus now is less about whether or not it “could happen”, but rather, how it could be accomplished, and the consequences for the economy/society and the future of finance. 

This blog reviews the interesting concept of air being used as currency; the development of required infrastructure to allow the trade of oxygen products; and implications for occupations and education, including the importance of taking an investment banking class due to the rapidly evolving nature of assets. 

The Idea Is Not Entirely New, But It’s Gaining Traction 

Oxygen is a fundamental component of life on Earth. Traditionally, oxygen has been viewed as a public good that is free and shared by everyone. However, this view of oxygen is changing due to increased environmental need and the development of new market opportunities for oxygen.  

Environmental pressures include an increase in pollution levels around the world. In addition, as a result of industrialization, deforestation continues to occur, thus limiting the habitats of many species of plants and animals. Many areas of the world are also experiencing increases in the number of wildfires and increased periods of drought, which have resulted in a decrease in the number of trees in these areas as well as a positive correlation between rising temperatures and decreased oxygen levels in the atmosphere.  

As the relative scarcity of oxygen becomes more apparent to the world, companies and markets are paying more attention and responding to these aspects of our relationship with plant life. This includes the commodification of certain industrial gas products (i.e., industrial gases produced and sold commercially), such as oxygen tanks and other medical supplies, as well as the creation of new forms of currency based on oxygen, which has emerged from its essentiality to sustain human life.  

The Mechanisms That Could Turn Air Into a Traded Asset 

Before air can become a “currency,” there needs to be a market structure, a way to define, measure, trade, and settle transactions. Here are a few ways this could theoretically unfold: 

1. Certified Clean Air Credits 

Just as carbon markets trade credits for emissions, clean air could be quantified and certified. Entities that maintain high air quality, or contribute to reforestation or air purification, might earn credits that can be sold to those needing compliance or carbon reduction offsets. 

2. Oxygen Futures and Derivatives 

Global markets already use futures and options for commodities like oil, gold, and even weather indexes. If oxygen becomes a measurable commodity, say, indexed to urban air quality benchmarks, we might eventually see oxygen futures traded on exchanges. 

3. Direct Oxygen Supply Contracts 

Regions with cleaner air or advanced atmospheric processing technologies could sell oxygen to other regions. Think of this as a global utility exchange, where companies specializing in air purification produce and sell purified oxygen for industrial, medical, or even consumer use. 

4. Digital Tokens Backed by Atmospheric Assets 

With the rise of blockchain finance, environmental assets could be tokenized. Imagine a digital token representing ownership of a quantified share of purified oxygen, traded on decentralized exchanges and backed by physical atmospheric management projects. 

Economic Implications: Scarcity Creates Value 

At its core, economics is the study of scarcity. When something is limited relative to demand, it becomes valuable. Water, once abundant and free in many regions, is now a costly resource in drought-affected areas. Food prices fluctuate based on weather, transport, and labor. Why should air be any different if its availability becomes uncertain? 

Oxygen scarcity, whether real or perceived, could create markets in the following ways: 

• Regulated Trading: Governments could set regulatory frameworks where corporations must “purchase” air quality credits to operate in certain zones. 

• Corporate Responsibility Markets: Companies demonstrating measurable improvements in air quality could monetize their environmental performance. 

• Private Sector Oxygen Services: Startups and industrial players could specialize in air purification zones, selling localized atmospheric quality improvements. 

These aren’t far-fetched scenarios. They are extensions of existing carbon markets, environmental compliance trading systems, and ecosystem service valuation frameworks. 

Risks and Ethical Considerations 

Before you start imagining a future where air is traded like gold or Bitcoin, it’s crucial to confront the substantial ethical, legal, and social risks associated with commodifying a basic human right. 

1. Inequality and Access 

Turning air into an economic asset raises immediate concerns about accessibility. If oxygen becomes something that can be bought and sold, how do we ensure universal access, especially for vulnerable populations? 

2. Corporate Power and Regulation 

Allowing corporations to control access to oxygen could create monopolies or oligopolies, similar to how water rights and mining concessions have historically concentrated economic power. 

3. Moral and Human Rights Questions 

Is it ethical to treat life-sustaining air as a tradable commodity? Governments and international bodies would face immense pressure to enshrine access to oxygen as a basic human right, much like access to water and food. 

These challenges suggest that if air markets emerge, they will likely do so under strict regulatory frameworks, prioritizing fairness and public welfare. 

Linking to Broader Trends: Natural Resources and Financial Innovation 

The idea of oxygen as a commodity connects to broader shifts in global markets. Natural resources that were once free are now being priced and traded due to scarcity and economic incentives. 

For a related take on how unconventional assets can become investment focal points, check out this insightful analysis on silver’s evolving economic role: Is Silver Becoming the Next Gold? What Should We Know?,  

Just as silver’s narrative shifted from industrial metal to investment safe haven, oxygen, or clean air more broadly, could follow a path from public good to economic asset under certain conditions. 

What Would an Oxygen Market Look Like? 

Let’s imagine a future scenario: 

In 2035, climate pressures and regulation have created a global Air Quality Index (AQI) trading system. Cities with high AQI credits, due to reforestation projects and emissions controls, can sell excess credits to industrial regions that need them for regulatory compliance. Corporations may trade oxygen futures tied to projected air quality metrics, and environmental tech firms issue tokenized “clean air bonds” to fund atmospheric purification projects. 

Air quality investments then become part of diversified portfolios, much like commodities or ESG-linked bonds. Financial institutions create specialized desks focused on atmospheric assets, and career paths evolve accordingly. 

This kind of system would require new frameworks for measurement, auditing, and enforcement, and that opens doors for financial innovators, regulators, and technologists. 

Conclusion: Real Possibility or Speculative Thought? 

At first glance, the idea of air as a currency may seem extreme. But when you consider the forces shaping global markets, scarcity economics, environmental regulation, financial innovation, and technological advances, the concept warrants serious discussion. 

While universal access to clean air should remain a non-negotiable human right, the financialization of environmental assets (like oxygen credits) may become part of how societies manage risk and allocate resources in an increasingly complex world. 

For finance professionals, these changes emphasize one core truth: the definition of “value” is always evolving. Staying ahead of that evolution, through education like an investment banking course, strategic thinking, and interdisciplinary awareness, is what differentiates the future leaders of finance from the rest. 

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