Guide Rhodium
Buying and selling rhodium. Quoted live, by phone.
What rhodium is, where it comes from, why its price swings so hard, and how buying and selling it works.
Questions? Call the desk at 1-855-528-4653
What rhodium is
Rhodium is element 45, one of the six platinum group metals. Its main use is in catalytic converters, where it helps reduce nitrogen oxides in car exhaust. According to Johnson Matthey, autocatalysts have accounted for 85% to 95% of annual rhodium demand over the last ten years; glass making is the next largest use.
Where it comes from
Rhodium is mined alongside other platinum group metals and recovered during refining. South Africa dominates supply: Johnson Matthey puts 2025 primary supply at about 701,000 oz, of which about 566,000 oz came from South Africa. Recycling, mostly from scrapped catalytic converters, added about 312,000 oz. Total demand in 2025 was about 1.06 million oz.
That makes rhodium a very small market compared with gold or silver, and it is one reason its price can move so far, so fast.
How the price has moved
- Under $3,000 an ounce in January 2019.
- Nearly $30,000 in March 2021, an all-time high (Johnson Matthey).
- About $11,000 by September 2021.
- Annual averages from USGS: about $20,254 in 2021, $15,585 in 2022 and $6,661 in 2023.
- Above $9,000 by late December 2025, and a three-year high of $12,000 in late February 2026, before easing toward $10,000.
Rhodium prices are quoted by refiners and dealers. Johnson Matthey publishes base prices for wholesale quantities of sponge, for information only.
Sponge or bars?
Sponge is rhodium in powdered form, the form industry uses and the form Johnson Matthey’s base prices refer to (minimum 99.9% purity). Bars hold a fixed weight of rhodium, typically 1 oz. Bars are easier to store and count, but they are made in small numbers, and some, like our 1 oz PAMP Suisse rhodium bar, come from earlier production runs that are no longer made.
How buying works at Ausecure
Because the market is thin and moves quickly, we quote rhodium live by phone rather than listing a fixed online price. Call 1-855-528-4653, tell us the form and quantity, and we will give you a price and availability. Once you agree, we issue an order; you pay, and we ship it 100% insured once payment has cleared. See sending payments and shipping.
How selling works
We buy rhodium too. Call for a live bid, get an order ID, ship it insured to the facility we give you, and get paid by wire or check within 24–48 hours of receipt. See selling metals.
Things to know before you buy
- Rhodium is not eligible for a precious metals IRA. Only gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion that meets minimum fineness qualify.
- Price swings can be large in either direction. Buy only what you are comfortable holding through them.
- All sales are final once an order is placed. See our returns policy.
Sources: Johnson Matthey PGM Market Report, May 2026; JM PGM Market Report, May 2021; JM PGM Market Report, May 2022; USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025; Royal Society of Chemistry; 26 U.S.C. §408(m).
Can I buy rhodium online at Ausecure?
Rhodium is quoted live by phone. Call 1-855-528-4653 for a current price and availability on bars or sponge. See rhodium.
Does Ausecure buy rhodium?
Yes. We run two-way markets in rhodium as well as gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Call for a live quote before you ship anything.
Is rhodium IRA-eligible?
No. The U.S. tax code allows gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion that meets minimum fineness in an IRA; rhodium is not on that list. See IRA-eligible metals.
What is rhodium sponge?
Sponge is a powdered form of a platinum group metal. Johnson Matthey’s rhodium base prices are for sponge of at least 99.9% purity.
Why does the rhodium price move so much?
Rhodium is a small, thinly traded market: total demand is around one million ounces a year, most of it from car makers, and most supply comes from South African mines. Small changes in supply or demand can move the price sharply.
