OKX Exchange announced a major development this evening (5th): ICE, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, announced a strategic investment in OKX and acquired a seat on the OKX 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 lengthy article on the X platform, explaining the strategic significance and future vision of this cooperation.
In his post titled "A New Chapter: Building Next-Generation Financial Infrastructure," Star Xu emphasized that this marks a new beginning 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 collaboration with regulatory and traditional institutions. The article points out that the financial market is undergoing a structural transformation: blockchain is improving the efficiency of asset movement and settlement, and AI is reshaping risk management, but security, transparency, and investor protection remain core.
Star Xu 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. Star Xu further emphasized that OKX's goal is to build a sustainable global financial infrastructure, strengthen market structure, risk management, clearing, and expand institutional participation in digital assets, while protecting consumers.
The following is the original text of Star Xu 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 U.S. market. In many ways, we see our presence in the U.S. as a blank slate – an opportunity to thoughtfully build, actively and constructively engage with regulators and traditional institutions, and contribute to the development of 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 and risk management are conducted. Meanwhile, 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 tremendous 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. Partnering with ICE and the broader NYSE ecosystem gives us a unique opportunity to explore how these models can evolve responsibly.
Our focus is not merely on new technologies, but on building the enduring infrastructure for the global financial system. This includes improving market structures, strengthening risk management and clearing frameworks, expanding institutional participation in digital assets, and creating platforms that foster innovation while protecting consumers.
Today, OKX serves over 120 million people globally and holds licenses in major financial jurisdictions. Over the past decade, we have built a high-performance trading system, on-chain technology, payment systems, and security framework capable of supporting large-scale global markets. As digital assets continue to mature, we believe that 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 technology 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 in financial markets, enabling digital and traditional infrastructure to work together to expand accessibility, strengthen trust, and support innovation in the global economy.
