Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), owner of the NYSE, and crypto exchange OKX are forming a 50/50 joint venture co-chaired by former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo. The partnership aims to provide OKX's 120 million users with access to tokenized NYSE stocks and ICE futures, pending regulatory approval. The deal builds on a prior investment by ICE that valued OKX at $25 billion and seeks to merge traditional financial infrastructure with blockchain technology.
Joint venture structure
- ▪Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and crypto exchange OKX are forming a 50/50 joint venture to bridge traditional and digital financial markets
- ▪The joint venture will be co-chaired by former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and ICE Senior Vice President Trabue Bland
NYSE tokenized equities access
- ▪The partnership will provide OKX's 120 million users with access to tokenized NYSE-listed equities and ICE futures markets
- ▪The rollout of the new services for tokenized equities and futures access is anticipated for the second half of 2026
- ▪The joint venture may also explore tokenizing other assets like bonds and commodities in the future
ICE-OKX relationship history
- ▪ICE's March investment in OKX was approximately $200 million and secured ICE a seat on OKX's board
- ▪The partnership follows a strategic investment by ICE in OKX in March at a $25 billion valuation
- ▪In 2025, OKX pleaded guilty to violating anti-money laundering laws and agreed to a $500 million settlement
- ▪Andrew Cuomo began advising OKX in 2023 as the exchange navigated a Department of Justice investigation
Regulatory infrastructure
- ▪The venture aims to operate as a U.S.-registered broker-dealer and a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM), subject to regulatory approvals
- ▪The venture combines ICE's regulated market infrastructure with OKX's blockchain technology and existing licenses in multiple jurisdictions
Bitcoin market implications
- ▪Andrew Cuomo stated the joint venture is "not about crypto" but about applying blockchain technology to other financial assets
- ▪The joint venture could create one of the largest compliant on-ramps for retail traders to gain Bitcoin exposure
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