ICE Makes Investment in OKX, Establishing Strategic Relationship

Key Terms

tokenized equities technical

Tokenized equities are regular company shares represented as digital tokens on a secure electronic record (blockchain), allowing ownership to be tracked and transferred in tiny pieces. For investors this matters because it can make buying, selling and dividing ownership faster, cheaper and possible in smaller amounts—like turning a house into many tradable slices—potentially increasing access and liquidity while still carrying the same market and regulatory risks as ordinary shares.

on-chain infrastructure technical

On-chain infrastructure is the set of protocols, smart contracts and core software that operate directly on a blockchain to record transactions, execute automated agreements and store data. It matters to investors because it determines how securely, cheaply and quickly digital assets and decentralized applications can function—similar to how roads and traffic signals affect how well a city’s commerce flows—and therefore influences adoption, operating costs and long‑term value.

regulated futures regulatory

Regulated futures are standardized contracts traded on organized exchanges that obligate the buyer or seller to purchase or sell an asset at a set price on a future date, all under oversight by financial regulators. Think of them as exchange-traded IOUs with a referee enforcing rules; they matter to investors because the rules, transparency, central clearing and margin requirements reduce counterparty risk and make it easier to hedge price swings or gain leveraged exposure to commodities, currencies, indices or other assets.

spot crypto prices technical

The current market price at which a cryptocurrency can be bought or sold for immediate delivery on an exchange. It matters to investors because it determines the real‑time value of holdings, guides buy/sell decisions, and affects short‑term gains or losses—think of it like the price tag on an item in a store or the exchange rate a currency trader sees at the counter, reflecting what you would pay or receive right now.

clearing financial

Clearing is the behind-the-scenes process that confirms a securities trade, organizes the exchange of money and shares, and ensures both sides get what they agreed to. Think of it like an escrow service or a cashier who checks the receipt, holds the cash and goods until everything is correct, and steps in if one party can’t pay — a function that reduces risk, prevents failed trades, and keeps markets running smoothly for investors.

risk management financial

Risk management is the ongoing process of identifying potential events or conditions that could reduce an investment’s value, measuring how likely and how severe those losses could be, and putting controls in place to limit harm—like spreading money across different assets, setting loss limits, or buying insurance. For investors it matters because it turns uncertainty into a manageable plan, helping preserve capital and steady returns much like a seatbelt or a spare tire reduces the downside of unexpected problems.

• ICE to license OKX spot crypto prices and launch U.S. regulated futures
• OKX to provide access to ICE's U.S. futures and NYSE tokenized equities markets to their customer base of 120M accounts
• Joint venture to bring OKX and ICE-operated markets to U.S.-based customers
• Relationship is another step in ICE's strategy to operate on-chain infrastructure for trading, settlement, custody, and capital formation

ATLANTA & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), one of the world's leading providers of financial market technology and data powering global capital markets including the New York Stock Exchange, today announced a strategic relationship and investment in OKX, a blockchain technology and trading company serving more than 120 million people globally.

ICE’s investment reflects a valuation of OKX of $25 billion. The terms of the investment were not disclosed.

A New Architecture for Global Markets

Alongside the investment, ICE will have a board seat on OKX’s Board of Directors and establish a broad strategic collaboration to leverage OKX’s proven blockchain infrastructure and global reach alongside ICE’s world-class market technology, regulatory frameworks, and institutional community.

The companies intend to evaluate joint initiatives across market structure design, clearing and risk management, data, and institutional access to digital assets, including:

• Regulated crypto futures: ICE will license OKX's spot crypto prices and launch U.S.-regulated futures contracts tied to those markets giving institutions a trusted, compliant route to digital asset exposure
• Global distribution: Subject to regulatory approval, OKX will provide access to ICE's U.S. futures and NYSE tokenized equities markets, enabling OKX’s crypto-native users to have regulated access to the world's most iconic financial markets
• Institutional-grade digital infrastructure: The relationship will aim to advance clearing and risk management solutions, multi-chain custody and wallet architecture, and the structural connectivity required for institutions to participate confidently in digital asset markets

“Our strategic relationship with OKX will 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,” said Jeffrey C. Sprecher, ICE Chair & Chief Executive Officer. “Star has created a highly successful company, with enormous distribution which will now connect NYSE and ICE markets to OKX’s customer base, bringing an exciting new stage for both vectors of finance.”

“This relationship brings together OKX’s digital-asset execution stack and ICE’s regulated-market technology – operators of two high-performance matching engines and transparent order books - to help build a more reliable market structure that bridges digital assets and equities, strengthens cross-market price formation, and meets institutional standards for risk and compliance,” said Star Xu, Founder and CEO of OKX.

OKX operates under licensing frameworks in jurisdictions, including the United States, Europe, the UAE, Singapore, and Australia. OKX has built trading infrastructure that has processed trillions of dollars in trading volume, alongside a multi-chain on-chain ecosystem, wallet technology, and developer tools that enable participation across centralized and open markets. OKX also operates an institutional trading and custody business and a global payments business.

ICE’s minority position in the OKX group is not expected to have a material impact on ICE’s 2026 financial results or capital return plans.

About Intercontinental Exchange

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks that connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes helping our customers access mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and efficiency. ICE’s futures, equity, and options exchanges -- including the New York Stock Exchange -- and clearing houses help people invest, raise capital and manage risk. We offer some of the world’s largest markets to trade and clear energy and environmental products. Our fixed income, data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers streamline processes and capitalize on opportunities. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming U.S. housing finance, from initial consumer engagement through loan production, closing, registration and the long-term servicing relationship. Together, ICE transforms, streamlines, and automates industries to connect our customers to opportunity.

Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located here. Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading “Key Information Documents (KIDS).”

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- Statements in this press release regarding ICE's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on February 5, 2026.

About OKX

OKX is a fintech company known for its global crypto trading platform and its on-chain wallet and marketplace. The company develops technology and applications to modernize money and markets. OKX is known for being one of the fastest and most reliable crypto and payment apps, having processed trillions of dollars in transactions by more than 120+ million people around the world.

OKX is headquartered in San Jose, California, for the Americas and in Dubai for the Middle East, with regional offices in São Paulo, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Republic of Türkiye, Australia and Europe. Over the past several years, OKX has built one of the world's most comprehensive regulatory compliant, licensed crypto companies. It holds licenses in the United States, the UAE, EEA, Singapore and Australia, as well as in other markets.

OKX is steadfastly committed to transparency and security and publishes Proof of Reserves reports on a monthly basis. To learn more about OKX, download the app or visit: okx.com.

Category: Corporate

SOURCE: Intercontinental Exchange

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260305216092/en/

ICE Media Contact:

Rebecca Mitchell

+44 207 065 7804

rebecca.mitchell@ice.com

media@ice.com

ICE Investor Relations Contact:

Steve Eagerton

+1 904 854 3683

steve.eagerton@ice.com

investors@ice.com

OKX Media Contact:

Dave Heinzinger

+1 646 430 4579

dave.heinzinger@okx.com

OKX Investor Relations Contact:

Elliott Suthers

+ 44 073777 220650

Elliott.Suthers@okx.com

Source: Intercontinental Exchange