Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, announced a strategic investment in OKX, a leading global cryptocurrency trading platform, raising its valuation to approximately $25 billion. OKX founder and CEO Xu Mingxing subsequently published a lengthy article outlining the profound significance of this milestone and the company's future plans. (Previous Recap: OKX Receives Strategic Investment from NYSE Parent Company ICE, Valued at $25 Billion! $OKB Surges 50% to Break $120) (Background Supplement: OKX Obtains Malta Payment Institution License, Compliant Before the March MiCA Deadline, Stablecoin Payment Fully Implemented) OKX Exchange announced a major piece of news tonight (5th): NYSE parent company ICE announced a strategic investment in OKX and obtained a seat on OKX's board of directors. OKX's valuation in this round of transactions reached approximately $25 billion, but investment details were not disclosed. In response, OKX founder and CEO Star Xu subsequently published a long article on the X platform, explaining the strategic significance and future vision of this cooperation. A New Chapter: Building the Next Generation of Financial Infrastructure. Our partnership with Intercontinental Exchange marks an important moment for OKX and for the broader evolution of digital asset markets. ICE has built and operated some of the most important financial… — Star_OKX (@star_okx) March 5, 2026. In his post titled "A New Chapter: Building the Next Generation of Financial Infrastructure," Xu Mingxing emphasized that this is a brand new starting point for OKX in the US market. He views the US as a "blank slate," hoping to build infrastructure that meets the standards of the world's most advanced capital markets through cooperation with regulatory and traditional institutions. The article points out that financial markets are undergoing a structural transformation: blockchain improves the efficiency of asset movement and settlement, and AI is reshaping risk management, but security, transparency, and investor protection remain core. Xu Mingxing is particularly optimistic about the potential of tokenized securities, believing that issuers can directly reach global investors through modern digital infrastructure while retaining the governance and regulatory framework of traditional exchanges. Xu further emphasized that OKX's goal is to build a sustainable global financial infrastructure, strengthen market structure, risk management, and clearing, and expand institutional participation in digital assets while protecting consumers. The following is Xu Mingxing's original post: Building the Next Generation of Financial Infrastructure Our partnership with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is a significant moment for OKX and the broader evolution of the digital asset market. ICE has built and operates one of the world's most important financial infrastructures, including the New York Stock Exchange and a global derivatives and clearing platform. Their decision to invest in OKX and join our board reflects our shared belief that digital asset technology will play a lasting role in the financial markets of the future. For OKX, this partnership also represents a new chapter in our presence in the U.S. market. In many ways, we view our U.S. presence as a blank slate – an opportunity to thoughtfully build, actively and constructively interact with regulators and traditional institutions, and contribute to developing market infrastructure that meets the standards of the world’s most advanced capital markets. Financial markets are entering a period of structural transformation. Blockchain technology enables assets to move and settle globally with unprecedented efficiency. Artificial intelligence is reshaping how market analysis information and risk management are conducted. At the same time, expectations for security, transparency, and investor protection remain as important as ever. The next generation of financial infrastructure must integrate these elements. One area we see enormous potential in is the development of tokenized securities and the digital representation of traditional assets. In the future, issuers may be able to bring securities directly to global investors through modern digital infrastructure while still benefiting from the governance structures, market structures, and regulatory frameworks that have long defined traditional exchanges. Our collaboration with ICE and the broader NYSE ecosystem gives us a unique opportunity to explore how these models can evolve responsibly. Our focus is not just on new technologies, but on building the enduring infrastructure for the global financial system. This includes improving market structure, strengthening risk management and clearing frameworks, expanding institutional participation in digital assets, and creating platforms that protect consumers while fostering innovation. Today, OKX serves over 120 million people globally and is licensed in major financial jurisdictions. Over the past decade, we have built high-performance trading systems, on-chain technology, payment systems, and security frameworks to support a large-scale global market. As digital assets continue to mature, we believe collaboration between technology innovators and traditional financial institutions will be crucial. Our partnership with ICE embodies this principle. Together, we will explore how traditional exchange infrastructure and digital asset technologies can complement each other to create stronger, more efficient markets. This investment is not the end—but the beginning of deeper collaboration. Our goal is to help shape the next chapter of financial markets, enabling digital and traditional infrastructure to work together to expand accessibility, strengthen trust, and support innovation in the global economy.Related reports: "Away from the noise," Xu Mingxing (Star) discusses long-term crypto trends and OKX's next step; OKX Wallet Annual Report: Insights into the real user behavior behind DEX, DeFi, and MEME coins; Li Feng happily founds "Moore Threads," China's GPU unicorn, and refuses to repay 1500 BTC owed to OKX's Xu Mingxing; Xu Mingxing declares: ICE's investment in OKX is not the end.