Key Takeaways
- • OKX secures strategic funding round at $25 billion valuation from Circle, Ripple, Standard Chartered's SC Ventures, hedge fund QRT, and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE).
- • ICE, parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, makes investment in OKX and secures board seat, signaling institutional crypto market maturation and regulatory pathway.
- • Joint venture OKXICE launches tokenized U.S. stock trading platform offering 24/7 trading of shares (Tesla, Microsoft, others) against stablecoins under SEC innovation exemption, with Circle's USDC as primary settlement asset.
- • OKX Ventures operates $100 million investment fund focused on high-quality crypto and Web3 projects, with 26 tracked investments across portfolio companies as of February 2026.
Summary
OKX, a major cryptocurrency exchange, has secured new capital investments at a $25 billion valuation from a consortium of institutional and crypto-native investors including Circle, Ripple, Standard Chartered's investment arm SC Ventures, and hedge fund QRT. The funding round represents continued institutional validation of the crypto exchange sector and positions OKX for global expansion.
A particularly significant element of this capital raise involves Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, which made a strategic investment in OKX and acquired a board seat. This move signals a deepening institutional commitment to crypto infrastructure and suggests potential regulatory pathways for digital asset trading integration within traditional financial markets.
The capital supports OKX's launch of a joint venture called OKXICE, which will offer tokenized U.S. stock trading. The platform will enable 24/7 trading of tokenized shares of major companies including Tesla and Microsoft, settled against stablecoins including Circle's USDC. This initiative operates under an SEC innovation exemption, marking a significant infrastructure development for tokenized securities and demonstrating regulatory accommodation for digital asset market structures. The ability to trade traditional equity tokens continuously, outside standard market hours, represents material innovation in trading access.
Beyond the primary funding round, OKX Ventures operates as a dedicated investment vehicle with initial capital of $100 million focused on identifying high-potential crypto and Web3 projects. As of February 2026, the fund maintained 26 tracked investments across 25 companies, indicating active participation in early-stage digital asset ecosystem development.
A particularly significant element of this capital raise involves Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, which made a strategic investment in OKX and acquired a board seat. This move signals a deepening institutional commitment to crypto infrastructure and suggests potential regulatory pathways for digital asset trading integration within traditional financial markets.
The capital supports OKX's launch of a joint venture called OKXICE, which will offer tokenized U.S. stock trading. The platform will enable 24/7 trading of tokenized shares of major companies including Tesla and Microsoft, settled against stablecoins including Circle's USDC. This initiative operates under an SEC innovation exemption, marking a significant infrastructure development for tokenized securities and demonstrating regulatory accommodation for digital asset market structures. The ability to trade traditional equity tokens continuously, outside standard market hours, represents material innovation in trading access.
Beyond the primary funding round, OKX Ventures operates as a dedicated investment vehicle with initial capital of $100 million focused on identifying high-potential crypto and Web3 projects. As of February 2026, the fund maintained 26 tracked investments across 25 companies, indicating active participation in early-stage digital asset ecosystem development.
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