NYSE Owner ICE Invests $25 Billion in Crypto Exchange OKX

Partnership aims to bridge traditional finance and digital assets through tokenized stocks and crypto futures.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, has announced a strategic partnership and $25 billion investment in the cryptocurrency exchange OKX. The deal will see ICE licensing OKX's cryptocurrency price data to develop U.S.-regulated crypto futures products, while OKX will provide access to ICE's U.S. Futures markets and tokenized equities for its global user base.

Why it matters

This partnership represents a significant convergence between traditional finance (TradFi) and the rapidly evolving world of digital assets. By integrating blockchain technology and digital assets into its core offerings, ICE aims to unlock new investment opportunities and drive further innovation and adoption in the crypto market.

The details

Under the agreement, ICE will license OKX's spot cryptocurrency price data to develop U.S.-regulated crypto futures products. In turn, OKX will extend access to ICE's U.S. Futures markets and tokenized equities to its global user base of over 120 million accounts, pending regulatory approvals. Tokenization, the process of representing real-world assets like stocks and bonds as digital tokens on a blockchain, is a key focus of the partnership, as it promises to reduce transaction fees, increase liquidity, and democratize access to investment opportunities.

  • The partnership was announced on March 5, 2026.

The players

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)

The parent company of the New York Stock Exchange and a leading global exchange operator.

OKX

A major cryptocurrency exchange with over 120 million user accounts globally.

Jeffrey C. Sprecher

The chair and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).

Star Xu

The founder and CEO of OKX.

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What they’re saying

“We must expand global retail access to ICE's pre-eminent regulated markets and accelerate our plans to offer on-chain infrastructure and tokenized assets to U.S. Investors.”

— Jeffrey C. Sprecher, Chair and CEO, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) (newsy-today.com)

“We operate two high-performance matching engines and transparent order books...to help build a more reliable market structure that bridges digital assets and equities.”

— Star Xu, Founder and CEO, OKX (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

The partnership's access to ICE's U.S. Futures markets and tokenized equities through OKX is subject to regulatory approval.

The takeaway

This landmark partnership between the New York Stock Exchange's parent company and a leading cryptocurrency exchange signals a significant step towards the integration of traditional finance and the digital asset ecosystem. The focus on tokenization and the development of regulated crypto futures products could unlock new investment opportunities and drive further innovation in the rapidly evolving world of fintech.