NYSE Parent Negotiates Investment in Crypto Firm MoonPay

NYSE Parent Negotiates Investment in Crypto Firm MoonPay

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which owns the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), is in talks to invest in MoonPay, a crypto payments company. This investment aligns with the growing relationship between traditional finance and the cryptocurrency sector. MoonPay aims to secure funding with a valuation of $5 billion, following ICE's recent investments in the crypto space.

Key Takeaways

ICE, the parent company of NYSE, is negotiating an investment in the crypto payments company MoonPay.
MoonPay is targeting a $5 billion valuation during its current funding round.
ICE previously invested $2 billion in another crypto platform, Polymarket, increasing its valuation to $9 billion.
The collaboration highlights increasing integration between traditional finance and blockchain technology.
The DTCC has begun plans to offer tokenized financial assets, enhancing the intersection of these two worlds.

ICE in Talks to Support MoonPay's Growth

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), is reportedly negotiating to invest in MoonPay, a company specializing in crypto payment solutions. As per Bloomberg, which sourced this information from knowledgeable insiders, MoonPay aspires to raise capital at a valuation of $5 billion, although details regarding the exact size of ICE’s potential investment have not been disclosed.

Last October, ICE made headlines by investing $2 billion in the prediction market platform Polymarket, significantly elevating its overall valuation to $9 billion.

The Role of MoonPay in Crypto Transactions

MoonPay is a financial technology enterprise founded in 2019 that aims to facilitate the buying, selling, and usage of cryptocurrencies. By providing essential infrastructure for fiat conversions, MoonPay allows users to purchase cryptocurrencies using standard payment methods, including debit and credit cards. The company also offers services to wallets, exchanges, and enterprises seeking to incorporate crypto payment systems.

Polymarket's Founders Polymarket founder Shayne Coplan (left) and Intercontinental Exchange CEO Jeffrey Sprecher (right) at the New York Stock Exchange post-investment. Source: Shayne Coplan

A Growing Relationship between Wall Street and Crypto

Cointelegraph made attempts to connect with both ICE and MoonPay but did not receive a response by the time of publishing.

The discussions surrounding the potential investment further emphasize the deepening connections between the cryptocurrency world and Wall Street, as conventional financial institutions increasingly engage with blockchain technology and forge partnerships with crypto firms.

Related: Upcoming Transition for CFTC Chair to MoonPay

Explore the Stablecoin Integration Initiatives

In March, ICE and stablecoin issuer Circle began working on integrating Circle’s USDC stablecoin and its tokenized money market fund, the US Yield Coin (USYC), within ICE’s various clearing and data platforms. This collaboration aims to streamline financial processes through the integration of digital assets.

In December, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) to initiate the offering of tokenized stocks and bonds.

Tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) is a method that represents physical or traditional assets on a blockchain, making it feasible for faster transaction settlements across borders and for utilizing these assets as collateral in decentralized finance (DeFi) setups.

DTCC Trading Volume Annual settlement volume for government securities executed through DTCC’s infrastructure. Source: DTCC

The DTCC, which processed an impressive $3.7 quadrillion in settlements throughout 2024, is often seen as the backbone of the conventional financial landscape, facilitating transactions across stocks, bonds, fixed income, and derivatives markets.

Plans are underway for the DTCC to introduce tokenized trading capabilities in the latter half of 2026, utilizing the Canton Network—a specialized blockchain infrastructure designed for financial institutions.

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