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Abstract The redox state of arc mantle has been considered to be more oxidized and diverse than that of the mid-ocean ridge, but the cause of the variation is debated. We examine the redox state of the Cenozoic global arc mantle by compiling measured/calculated fO2 of olivine-hosted melt inclusions from arc magma and modeled fO2 based on V/Sc and Cu/Zr ratios of arc basaltic rocks. The results indicate that the redox state of Cenozoic arc mantle is latitude dependent, with less oxidized arc mantle in the low latitudes, contrasting with a near constant across-latitude trend in the mid-ocean ridges. We propose that such a latitude-dependent pattern in the arc mantle may be controlled by the variation in the redox state of subducted sediment, possibly related to a latitudinal variation in the primary production of phytoplankton, which results in more organic carbon and sulfide deposited on the low-latitude ocean floor. Our findings provide evidence for the impact of the surface environment on Earth’s upper mantle.