ICE’s Futures and Options Markets Reach Record Open Interest of 114 Million Contracts

Key Terms

open interest financial

Open interest is the total number of outstanding futures or options contracts that have been created but not yet closed or settled. Think of it like the number of active tickets in a queue — higher open interest means more traders are involved and the market is more liquid, which helps price moves be more reliable and shows the strength of investor interest or conviction in a trend.

futures financial

A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell an asset (like a commodity, currency, or stock index) at a fixed price on a specific future date. Think of it like locking in the price of a house today for a move-in years from now: it lets buyers and sellers protect themselves against price swings or bet on which way prices will move. For investors, futures matter because they provide a cheap way to manage risk, amplify returns through leverage, and signal market expectations that can move cash prices.

options financial

Options are contracts that give investors the right to buy or sell an asset at a specific price within a certain time frame. They function like a reservation or a ticket that allows for potential profit or protection against price changes, making them useful tools for managing investment risks or speculating on market movements.

benchmarks financial

Benchmarks are standard measures—often broad market indexes or preset targets—used to judge how well an investment, fund or strategy is performing compared with a common yardstick. Like timing runners against the lead car in a race, benchmarks help investors see whether returns come from skill or simply following the market, guide portfolio choices, reveal added risk or costs, and set realistic performance expectations.

liquidity financial

Liquidity is how easily and quickly an asset or investment can be converted into cash without losing value. It matters to investors because higher liquidity means they can access their money quickly if needed, while lower liquidity can make it harder to sell assets promptly or at a fair price, potentially creating financial challenges. Think of it like trying to sell a common item versus a rare collectible—it's much easier to sell the common item fast.

ttf financial

The Title Transfer Facility (TTF) is the principal virtual trading hub for natural gas in northwest Europe and serves as the widely used benchmark price for gas contracts. Think of it as a central marketplace that sets a reference price—like a stock index for gas—so shifts in TTF prices directly affect energy company revenues, utility bills and inflation expectations, making it a key indicator investors use to assess exposure to energy price risk.

ATLANTA & NEW YORK & LONDON & AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), a leading global provider of technology and data, today announced record open interest (OI) across its global futures and options markets of over 114 million contracts on January 26, 2026, up approximately 20% year-over-year (y/y).

Additional records hit on January 26, 2026, include:

• Record OI across global commodities futures and options of 72 million, up 8% y/y, including record energy futures and options OI of 68.4 million, also up 8% y/y.
• Record OI across total oil futures and options of 18.6 million, up 17% y/y, including record OI of 7.5 million across ICE Brent futures and options, up 27% y/y.
• Record OI across EU natural gas futures and options of 6.3 million, including record TTF futures and options OI of 5.8 million, both up 20% y/y.

“These records are a testament to the trust our customers have in the deep liquidity of our benchmarks and the thousands of related contracts they underpin,” said Trabue Bland, SVP of Futures Markets at ICE. “Liquidity brings critical flexibility and choice to customers as they navigate an increasingly interconnected energy landscape.”

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, 2024, as filed with the SEC on February 6, 2025.

Category: EXCHANGES

ICE-CORP

Source: Intercontinental Exchange

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Source: Intercontinental Exchange