Spot quotations on Chinese B2B channels ranged US$4.00-6.00 per kilogram for industrial-grade nickel sulfate in July 2026, with a 100 kg minimum order typical for export packaging [S3]. The CAS 7786-81-4 nickel(II) sulfate molecule (formula NiSO4, molecular weight 154.755) underpins both plating-grade and battery-grade trades, and the same hexahydrate form is sold as a 0.5 M aqueous reagent in 250 mL bottles at roughly ¥400 per bottle for lab use [S1][S2].
S&P Global Commodity Insights frames the deliverable benchmark as DDP China type-2 nickel sulfate with minimum 22% Ni content and a ceiling of 100 ppb magnetic materials, the spec battery cathode active-material (CAM) buyers reference when negotiating [S4][S7]. Domestic Chinese producers such as GHTech are emphasising low TOC (total organic carbon) and magnetic-tramp control to differentiate from generic plating material [S6]. For a related view on adjacent battery-chem markets, see lithium carbonate demand and price bands in 2026.
Spec Differentiators: Industrial vs Battery vs Plating Grades
Battery-grade type-2 nickel sulfate is defined by ≥22% nickel assay and ≤100 ppb magnetic impurity — the magnetic limit is the gating constraint for cathode precursor (pCAM) buyers because iron/cobalt/ferro-magnetic carryover degrades lithium-ion cell sorting yields [S4][S7]. Industrial-grade lots on Made-in-China cluster at US$4.00-6.00/kg in 100 kg MOQ, with related searches showing 98% and 99% min purity as the common cut lines buyers filter by [S3].
Plating-grade material is sold to DIN 50970 for nickel electroplating baths and can be specified as the hexahydrate (NiSO4·6H2O) or heptahydrate (NiSO4·7H2O) interchangeably depending on the plater's evaporation profile [S2]. GHTech markets the only Chinese-controlled-TOC line, claiming low organic-impurity content that supports faster dissolution at the CAM plant; this is a meaningful handle for precursor makers running high-solids crystallisers [S6]. For background on the nickel alloy family that draws on similar feedstocks, see the encyclopedia entry.
Pricing Tracks and Where Benchmarks Are Set
S&P Global Platts (now S&P Global Commodity Insights) maintains the DDP China type-2 assessment, which traders treat as the Asia-Pacific reference for spot physical material — the methodology explicitly excludes magnetic material above 100 ppb and locks a minimum 22% Ni floor [S4][S7]. The Platts page carries a methodology stamp dated 2021-07-29 [S4] with a republished Commodity Insights mirror dated 2023-12-09 [S7], and no revised methodology window is documented in the public snippets.
Chinese domestic B2B listings on Made-in-China in July 2026 cluster industrial-grade at US$4.00-6.00/kg with a 100 kg MOQ [S3], while small-pack reagent-grade 0.5 M NiSO4 solution is priced at ¥400 per 250 mL bottle from Shanghai Qinchen Bio, valid for two years at 4-25°C storage [S1]. Battery-cell finished-goods price lists on the same platform reference Ni-MH cells at US$0.446-0.456 per piece at 500-piece MOQ from Shenzhen OEMs, providing a downstream demand-side data point [S5]. For related context on adjacent industrial valve and process-control supply trends, see the dedicated encyclopedia pages.
Application Routing: CAM, Plating, and Reagent
Three end-uses absorb the bulk of merchant nickel sulfate: (1) pCAM synthesis for NCM/NCA lithium-ion cathodes, where type-2 ≥22% Ni, ≤100 ppb magnetic material is the working spec [S4][S7]; (2) electroplating baths to DIN 50970, where NiSO4·6-7H2O is dissolved into a Watts-type or sulfamate bath [S2]; (3) laboratory reagents sold as 0.5 M aqueous standards at 250 mL pack size, ambient transport, and a one-year vendor warranty [S1].
The CAS 7786-81-4 entry on Chemnet lists Puratronic 99.9985% (metals basis) as a separate SKU used for analytical and catalyst R&D, illustrating how the same molecule spans commodity and high-purity catalogues [S2]. Buyers evaluating flow measurement on the dissolution skid can refer to the flow meter and pressure transmitter encyclopedia entries for instrumentation spec gates that often travel with crystalliser upgrades.
Selection Criteria and the Indian/China Supply Split
Four decision criteria dominate the buyer shortlist: assay (≥22% Ni for battery, 99% min for plating, 99.9985% for Puratronic), magnetic-tramp ceiling (≤100 ppb for type-2), water-of-crystallisation state (6 vs 7 hydrate), and packaging format (25 kg bag for industrial, 250 mL bottle for lab, ISO tank for bulk precursor) [S1][S2][S4][S7]. On all four axes Chinese type-2 producers — GHTech publicly and several Made-in-China listed factories — currently lead the public B2B visibility, while Indian suppliers (Fischer Labs, Chemnet ID 22985) remain a second source for agrochemical and plating channels [S2][S3][S6].
Buyers should treat the Made-in-China US$4.00-6.00/kg band as an FOB-equivalent industrial-grade signal rather than a DDP China type-2 reference, because the B2B listings do not certify the 100 ppb magnetic ceiling that Platts type-2 enforces [S3][S4]. For sensor-side instrumentation tied to precursor crystallisers, see the pressure sensor and PLC encyclopedia entries.
Sourcing Risks and Documented Constraints
Three constraints recur across the public data. First, magnetic-tramp verification is the single largest spec gate: lots above 100 ppb cannot be reclassified as type-2 under the Platts methodology and must be downgraded to plating or industrial channels [S4][S7]. Second, water-of-crystallisation drift between hexahydrate and heptahydrate lots complicates tank-side assay calculations; buyers should pin the hydrate form on the CoA because each H2O shifts the nickel-basis weight by roughly 8-9 percentage points [S2].
Third, the Made-in-China 100 kg MOQ is a 2026-07 listing snapshot, and the price range US$4.00-6.00/kg can move with nickel-LME volatility — there is no forward-curve visibility in the public B2B data, so procurement should layer the Platts type-2 print as the hedging reference [S3][S4]. GHTech's TOC-control pitch is a quality-of-life differentiator but not a published numeric guarantee, so treat it as a vendor claim until a CoA line is filed [S6]. For an adjacent-trend view, see nickel sulfate market 2026 battery-grade supply levers.
Documented Standards and Verification Path
The publicly named standard in the source material is DIN 50970 for nickel-plating applications; the battery-grade type-2 spec is set by the Platts methodology (≥22% Ni, ≤100 ppb magnetic materials on a DDP China basis) rather than a national-standard body [S2][S4][S7]. CAS 7786-81-4, EC 232-104-9, and InChI 1/Ni.H2O4S/c;1-5(2,3)4/h;(H2,1,2,3,4)/p-2 are the cross-jurisdiction identifiers any CoA should carry for customs and REACH filing [S2].
Buyers should request the InChI key, EC number, hydrate state, Ni assay, and a magnetic-tramp ICP-MS report on every type-2 lot, then reconcile against the Platts weekly print before releasing payment [S2][S4]. For adjacent 2026 market context, see lithium hydroxide 2026 capacity and pricing tracks.
Trackable signals for the next quarter: (1) the Platts DDP China type-2 weekly assessment print — watch for any methodology update that revises the 100 ppb magnetic ceiling [S4][S7]; (2) Made-in-China industrial-grade asking prices in the US$4-6/kg corridor, which act as a leading indicator of LME nickel sulphate direction [S3].