Sodium Iodide Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

Sodium iodide prices in Chile, which reached a fresh multi-quarter high in Q1 2026 before easing back, fell 2.1% in Q2 2026 to USD 74.90/kg from USD 76.50/kg in Q1, as spot enquiries softened from a peak driven by tight feedstock availability. Japanese prices eased more sharply, down 4.1% to USD 70.00/kg, as ample brine-derived iodine supply removed some of the urgency that had lifted prices earlier in the year. Globally, the average slipped from USD 74.25/kg in Q1 2026 to USD 72.67/kg in Q2, a 2.1% decline, the first quarterly pullback after five consecutive quarters of gains. Sodium iodide is produced by reacting elemental iodine, sourced primarily from caliche ore mining in one South American nation and from natural gas-associated brine extraction in Japan, China, and the United States, with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate. It supplies pharmaceutical applications including thyroid medication and X-ray and CT contrast media precursors, iodized salt and animal feed nutrition, and legacy photographic and polarizing film uses, with pharmaceutical and healthcare demand forming the most resilient share of consumption. Elemental iodine feedstock costs, caustic soda pricing, and regional supply availability are the principal forces steering prices across these markets.

Sodium Iodide Price Forecast for 2026

The outlook for sodium iodide through the second half of 2026 points to continued regional divergence, with the leading South American feedstock source expected to stay structurally tight as global iodine demand grows faster than new supply can be brought online. Japanese and broader Asian pricing should stay comparatively soft as ample brine-derived output and adequate regional inventories cushion further cost pass-through. In the United States, steady pharmaceutical and healthcare demand combined with tightness in caustic soda supply should keep prices firm even if the underlying iodine feedstock cost eases. New Western Hemisphere brine-based production capacity remains at an early, pre-commercial stage and is unlikely to meaningfully affect supply before 2027.

The main upside risk is continued feedstock tightness from the leading South American producer combined with stronger-than-expected pharmaceutical and contrast-media demand outpacing the roughly 3% annual growth in global supply. The main downside risk is a faster-than-expected increase in third-party iodine supply, whether from expanded Japanese brine output or new production sources, which could ease the feedstock squeeze and pull prices back toward the lower end of the forecast range.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

Sodium Iodide Prices Q2 2026:

• Chile: USD 74.90/kg
• Japan: USD 70.00/kg
• China: USD 73.05/kg
• United States: USD 72.74/kg

Sodium Iodide Prices in Chile

Chilean sodium iodide prices eased 2.1% in Q2 2026 to USD 74.90/kg from USD 76.50/kg in Q1, as spot enquiries cooled from the elevated levels reached earlier in the year and export availability stayed broadly balanced. Pharmaceutical and contrast-media buyers continued steady purchasing even as the pace of price increases slowed.

Why did the price of Sodium Iodide change in Q2 2026 in Chile?

Cooling spot enquiries and more balanced export availability took some of the heat out of a market that had climbed sharply in the prior quarter, even as underlying pharmaceutical demand remained steady. Producers still described feedstock availability as tight by historical standards, which limited how far the pullback could run.

Sodium Iodide Prices in Japan

Japanese sodium iodide prices fell 4.1% in Q2 2026 to USD 70.00/kg from USD 73.00/kg in Q1, the sharpest regional decline of the period, as ample brine-derived iodine output and smooth plant operations removed the urgency that had driven earlier gains. Buyers took advantage of the softer market to rebuild inventories.

Why did the price of Sodium Iodide change in Q2 2026 in Japan?

Ample brine-derived iodine supply and smooth plant operations removed the urgency that had supported prices earlier in the year, giving buyers room to rebuild inventories at softer levels. No new capacity came online during the quarter; the shift instead reflected existing wells and extraction facilities simply running at full, uninterrupted output.

Sodium Iodide Prices in China

Chinese sodium iodide prices eased 1.3% in Q2 2026 to USD 73.05/kg from USD 74.00/kg in Q1, as adequate domestic iodine inventories cushioned the market from the sharper swings seen elsewhere in Asia. Steady demand from pharmaceutical and electronics buyers kept the decline modest.

Why did the price of Sodium Iodide change in Q2 2026 in China?

Adequate domestic iodine inventories cushioned this market from the sharper regional swings, while steady demand from pharmaceutical and electronics buyers kept the pullback modest. Buyers here were largely insulated from the sharper move seen in Japan, since much of their supply is sourced through longer-term domestic arrangements rather than spot purchases.

Sodium Iodide Prices in the United States

US sodium iodide prices eased 1.0% in Q2 2026 to USD 72.74/kg from USD 73.50/kg in Q1, a modest pullback that left prices well above year-earlier levels, as steady pharmaceutical and healthcare demand offset a mild easing in feedstock costs. Caustic soda supply stayed tight, limiting the extent of the decline.

Why did the price of Sodium Iodide change in Q2 2026 in the United States?

Steady pharmaceutical and healthcare demand combined with tight caustic soda supply limited the extent of the pullback, even as underlying feedstock costs eased modestly. Contrast-media manufacturers in particular kept order volumes consistent, showing little sensitivity to the small price movement over the quarter.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

Sodium Iodide Prices Q1 2026:

• Chile: USD 76.50/kg
• Japan: USD 73.00/kg
• China: USD 74.00/kg
• United States: USD 73.50/kg

Sodium Iodide Prices in Chile

Chilean sodium iodide prices rose 3.7% in Q1 2026 to USD 76.50/kg from USD 73.80/kg in Q4 2025, extending a multi-quarter climb as export enquiries stayed elevated and available supply remained structurally tight. Strong pharmaceutical and contrast-media demand reinforced the increase through the quarter.

Why did the price of Sodium Iodide change in Q1 2026 in Chile?

Elevated export enquiries against structurally tight available supply, reinforced by strong pharmaceutical and contrast-media demand, pushed prices to a fresh multi-quarter high this quarter. Producers signalled no near-term plans to expand extraction capacity meaningfully, reinforcing buyers' expectations that the tightness would persist.

Sodium Iodide Prices in Japan

Japanese sodium iodide prices rose 2.1% in Q1 2026 to USD 73.00/kg from USD 71.50/kg in Q4 2025, continuing a steady climb as regional supply stayed comparatively tight ahead of the brine-output increase that eased conditions in the following quarter. Demand from pharmaceutical and electronics buyers held firm.

Why did the price of Sodium Iodide change in Q1 2026 in Japan?

Comparatively tight regional supply, combined with firm demand from pharmaceutical and electronics buyers, kept this market on its established upward path ahead of the brine-driven easing that followed in Q2. Few market participants anticipated at the time just how quickly conditions would loosen the following quarter.

Sodium Iodide Prices in China

Chinese sodium iodide prices rose 2.1% in Q1 2026 to USD 74.00/kg from USD 72.50/kg in Q4 2025, tracking the broader Asian tightness in iodine feedstock even as domestic inventories stayed at comfortable levels. Demand from pharmaceutical and electronics manufacturers remained steady through the quarter.

Why did the price of Sodium Iodide change in Q1 2026 in China?

Broader Asian feedstock tightness pushed costs higher even with domestic inventories at comfortable levels, while steady pharmaceutical and electronics demand reinforced the increase. Producers here still had room to draw on stockpiles rather than pass through the full extent of the regional cost pressure.

Sodium Iodide Prices in the United States

US sodium iodide prices rose 2.1% in Q1 2026 to USD 73.50/kg from USD 72.00/kg in Q4 2025, as rising producer costs and tightening caustic soda availability pushed landed prices higher. Demand from pharmaceutical and healthcare buyers stayed consistent through the quarter.

Why did the price of Sodium Iodide change in Q1 2026 in the United States?

Rising producer costs combined with tightening caustic soda availability pushed landed prices higher, while consistent demand from pharmaceutical and healthcare buyers reinforced the increase. Buyers absorbed the increase without significant pushback, reflecting the relatively inelastic nature of pharmaceutical-grade demand for this compound.

Quarterly Sodium Iodide Price Trends

Global sodium iodide prices climbed steadily from USD 68.80/kg in Q2 2025 to a peak of USD 74.25/kg in Q1 2026, a rise of 7.9%, before easing 2.1% to USD 72.67/kg in Q2 2026 as ample Asian brine supply took some of the pressure off the market. Tightening feedstock availability from the leading South American iodine source was the dominant force behind the climb, while easing Asian conditions drove the first pullback in five quarters.

What was Sodium Iodide Price in 2025?

Sodium iodide told a steadily rising story across 2025, with the global average climbing from USD 67.63/kg in Q1 to USD 72.45/kg in Q4, a gain of roughly 7.1%, as tightening elemental iodine feedstock availability from the leading South American source pushed costs higher across every region tracked. Japan posted the largest annual increase as brine-derived supply struggled to keep pace with demand for much of the year, while the United States and China posted more moderate, though still firm, gains. Steady pharmaceutical and contrast-media demand, combined with the slow pace of new iodine capacity additions, was the dominant force behind the year's broad-based increase.

Sodium Iodide Prices in Chile in 2025

Chilean sodium iodide prices climbed from about USD 69.00/kg in Q1 2025 to USD 73.80/kg by Q4, a gain of roughly 7.0%, as export enquiries built steadily through the year against a feedstock base that struggled to expand quickly enough to match rising global demand. Pharmaceutical and contrast-media buyers maintained consistent purchasing throughout the year, reinforcing the steady climb that carried into a fresh high in the first quarter of 2026.

Sodium Iodide Prices in Japan in 2025

Japanese sodium iodide prices rose from about USD 66.00/kg in Q1 2025 to USD 71.50/kg by Q4, up roughly 8.3%, the largest annual increase among the four regions tracked, as brine-derived supply struggled to keep pace with firm pharmaceutical and electronics demand for much of the year. The increase unfolded steadily across all four quarters before an expansion in brine output eased conditions in the second quarter of 2026.

Sodium Iodide Prices in China in 2025

Chinese sodium iodide prices increased from about USD 68.00/kg in Q1 2025 to USD 72.50/kg by Q4, up roughly 6.6%, tracking the broader tightening in global iodine feedstock availability even as domestic inventories stayed at comfortable levels throughout the year. Demand from pharmaceutical and electronics manufacturers grew steadily, reinforcing the gradual upward path.

Sodium Iodide Prices in the United States in 2025

US sodium iodide prices rose from about USD 67.50/kg in Q1 2025 to USD 72.00/kg by Q4, up roughly 6.7%, as steady pharmaceutical and healthcare demand combined with gradually tightening caustic soda availability to lift prices through the year. The increase was fairly even across all four quarters, setting the stage for the continued, though more moderate, gains that followed in the first half of 2026.

How We Can Help

Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Sodium Iodide Price Intelligence

Expert Market Research tracks sodium iodide prices continuously across every major producing and consuming region, combining elemental iodine feedstock cost data, caustic soda pricing trends, and downstream pharmaceutical and healthcare demand signals into one regularly updated view of the market. The service explains why prices move, not just that they did, drawing on feedstock economics, plant utilisation trends, and trade flow data across all reporting regions. Our team can help your procurement function benchmark offers, plan purchases around the regional divergence covered in this report, and build a defensible view of where this pharmaceutical-grade compound is headed next. Contact Expert Market Research today for sodium iodide pricing data, bespoke market analysis, and strategic procurement advisory.