Recovering critical materials is not just a technology challenge; it’s also a market-formation challenge. Industrial magnets, battery materials, e-waste, and other secondary critical materials are scattered, inconsistently characterized, hard to aggregate, and often traded through slow, unclear bilateral contracts.  Based on research with Georgia Tech on circular platforms, this presentation illustrates how digital platforms can enhance the visibility, trust, and exchangeability of recoverable materials. Existing models already highlight key aspects of this opportunity: data-rich battery platforms improve condition assessment and traceability; managed platforms lower quality and counterparty risk; and consortium-led initiatives coordinate the identification, extraction, grading, and aggregation of rare-earth magnets before a liquid market can develop. The goal is to create a critical-material marketplace that does more than just list available supplies. It can standardize material data, connect verified buyers and sellers, support traceability and compliance, enable price discovery, and direct materials toward their highest-value recovery pathways. Compared to bilateral contracting, a trusted exchange can increase participation, lower search and verification costs, enhance market intelligence, and turn one-off transactions into repeatable, scalable markets.