US-Malaysia Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Cooperation to Diversify Global Critical Minerals Supply Chains and Promote Investments

In October 2025, the United States and Malaysia signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") concerning critical mineral supply chains. The MOU seeks to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chain development, promote trade and investment, and support the transition to efficient and secure critical mineral markets. Under the MOU, the two countries have committed to implement certain measures:

• Collaboration and Exchange of Best Practices: The United States and Malaysia will share information and best practices to increase the competitiveness of Malaysia's minerals sector, including on good regulatory practices, fair treatment of investors and project sustainability.
• Investment: The two countries will work together to prioritise US investment in Malaysian critical mineral assets.
• Coordination on Standards-Based Markets: The two countries will coordinate to protect their respective domestic markets from unfair competition. This will be done by establishing standards-based markets that allow participants to trade freely and within a pricing framework (including through the use of price floors and similar measures). 
• Asset Sales: Malaysia and the United States will work together in good faith to strengthen the review of critical mineral assets sales by each government.

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