What company, operator of the New York Stock Exchange, announced in March 2026 it acquired a minority stake in crypto exchange OKX, valuing it at $25 billion?

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company behind the venerable New York Stock Exchange, made headlines in March 2026 with its announcement of a strategic minority investment in OKX, a prominent global cryptocurrency exchange. This move valued OKX at an impressive $25 billion, signaling a significant convergence between traditional finance and the rapidly evolving digital asset space. ICE, a global operator of exchanges, clearing houses, and data services, has a long history of innovation in financial markets, including its acquisition of the NYSE in 2013.

This investment by a major player like ICE underscores the growing institutional interest and confidence in the future of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. OKX, founded in 2017, has established itself as one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume, offering a wide range of services including spot, derivatives, and margin trading, as well as a Web3 wallet and NFT marketplace. The partnership aims to leverage OKX's extensive global reach, serving over 120 million users, alongside ICE's established market technology and regulatory frameworks.

The collaboration between ICE and OKX extends beyond the financial investment. ICE plans to license OKX's spot crypto prices to launch U.S.-regulated futures contracts, while OKX will provide its users access to ICE's U.S. futures and tokenized equities markets. This strategic alliance is expected to accelerate ICE's plans to offer on-chain infrastructure and tokenized assets to U.S. investors, further integrating digital assets into mainstream finance. The deal also grants ICE a seat on OKX's board of directors, solidifying a collaborative effort to explore joint initiatives in market structure design, clearing, risk management, and institutional access to digital assets.