OKX and ICE Launch Joint Venture Co-Led by Andrew Cuomo
In brief
- OKX and ICE announce joint venture co-chaired by former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo for digital asset infrastructure
- Venture enables OKX users to access ICE futures and NYSE tokenized equities markets
- Cuomo has advised OKX since 2023 after losing 2025 NYC mayoral race
- Partnership follows ICE's March $25 billion valuation investment in OKX
Venture structure and scope
The joint venture between OKX and ICE will be co-chaired by ICE and Cuomo, with a focus on connecting traditional finance infrastructure to digital assets. OKX users would gain access to ICE futures and NYSE tokenized equities markets through the partnership. The venture represents a significant bridge between legacy exchange systems and crypto-native platforms.
Cuomo's involvement extends back further than this announcement. The former governor began working with OKX in 2023, establishing a relationship that predates the current joint venture. During his 2025 New York City mayoral campaign, Cuomo positioned himself as a crypto advocate, saying he intended to make New York City the "global capital for cryptocurrency."
Regulatory path ahead
The venture is subject to regulatory approval, a critical hurdle given the sensitive intersection of traditional finance and digital assets. Approval timelines and conditions remain unclear, though the involvement of ICE—a major regulated exchange operator—may facilitate the regulatory review process.
Cuomo's electoral defeat in the 2025 mayoral race raised questions about his future role in New York crypto policy. He lost to Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, who secured more than 50% of the vote. Since taking office on January 1, Mamdani has not announced significant crypto or blockchain policies, and he confirmed in January that he holds no digital assets as mayor.
ICE's broader crypto push
The OKX partnership follows ICE's March investment in OKX at a $25 billion valuation, signaling the exchange operator's deeper commitment to the digital asset sector. ICE has also made a $2 billion investment pledge into prediction markets platform Polymarket, demonstrating a multi-pronged strategy to capture growth in crypto-adjacent markets.
