NYSE Parent Backs OKX in $25B Crypto Deal, Board Seat Secured

Key Insights:

• ICE secures a board seat as it invests in OKX at $25 billion valuation.
• OKX to provide real-time crypto data and launch tokenized stocks by mid-2026.
• OKX plans to move 2,000 employees to the U.S. to expand market presence.

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, has invested in cryptocurrency exchange OKX at a $25 billion valuation. The companies confirmed the agreement on Thursday. ICE has also secured a seat on OKX’s board as part of the arrangement.

Financial details, including the size of the investment, were not disclosed. The announcement drew attention across the digital asset market. OKX’s native token, OKB, rose more than 35% within 24 hours of the news. At the time of writing, the token was trading at $104.53.

The agreement links one of the largest traditional financial market operators with a major global crypto exchange. Both companies stated that the partnership will involve data sharing and new trading products.

Real-Time Data and Tokenized Stocks Plan

As part of the partnership, OKX will provide ICE with real-time price data for cryptocurrencies traded on its exchange. The data will support ICE’s growing focus on digital asset infrastructure.

The companies also plan to launch tokenized stocks and derivatives tied to securities listed on the New York Stock Exchange. These products will be available to OKX users and are expected to go live in the second half of 2026.

Haider Rafique, OKX’s global managing partner of corporate affairs, said the relationship began during a meeting with NYSE Chairman Jeffrey Sprecher in Atlanta last summer. Rafique said the discussion “was supposed to last about 30 minutes,” but it extended to nearly four hours as both sides discussed cooperation.

ICE Expands Digital Asset Strategy

ICE has increased its activity in blockchain-based financial systems over the past year. In January, the NYSE announced plans to build a platform for trading tokenized securities around the clock. The project is waiting for approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company is working with financial institutions including BNY and Citi to support tokenized deposits within its clearing network. These efforts aim to support new forms of digital financial settlement.

Michael Blaugrund, ICE’s vice president of strategic initiatives, said the company’s move into crypto markets comes as firms in traditional finance respond to changing market demand.

OKX Targets U.S. Market Growth

The partnership also supports OKX’s expansion in the United States. The exchange relaunched operations in the country earlier this year. The move came two months after the company reached a $500 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice related to unlicensed money-transmitting activities.

OKX plans to move up to 2,000 of its 5,000 employees to the United States. The company expects the launch of tokenized stocks to support its operations in the market.

Rafique said the product will play a central role in the company’s plans as it increases its presence in the U.S. financial sector.

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