Introduction
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is the leading global network of exchanges and clearing houses, providing a portfolio of products and services across a range of asset classes, including equity, energy, commodities, credit and currency. As the largest global exchange group by market capitalization, ICE powers a vibrant transformation in global markets.
History
Intercontinental Exchange was formed in 2000 by Jeffrey Sprecher and a group of investors in the wake of bankruptcies in the energy industry. The goal of ICE was to create an all-electronic market for energy, which became the first stage of a long list of successes. In America, Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, made its fortune by buying some of the bankrupt energy companies and creating financial instruments, such as futures and options, to help traders better anticipate shifts in energy prices. This in turn made ICE the worlds leading financial exchange, one of the largest energy suppliers and a major franchise in both the physical and derivative energy markets globally.
ICEs footprint soon exceeded its energy roots, with flagship electronic futures and options exchanges across a range of asset classes, including equity indices, credit, currencies and commodities. Its clearinghouses and Collateral Management, Risk Management, Customer Relations, Payment Services and Connectivity Infrastructure offerings further expand the value observed by ICE customers and investors.
In 2005, IntercontinentalExchange, then a privately held firm, was first listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2013, ICE entered the UK market by acquiring the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE). In 2014, ICE announced the expansion of its derivatives market, which followed with the acquisition of the New York Stock Exchange and its US options market. The same year, ICE acquired Trayport, a provider of multi-asset electronic trading solutions to the energy industry.
Products and Services
Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, is a leading provider of data, technology, trading and clearing services across multiple asset classes, such as equity derivatives, energy, commodities and currencies. ICEs products and services are offered through its network of regulated and transparent exchanges, clearinghouses and technology services.
ICE provides a range of products and services that meet the needs of institutional and retail customers, market makers, brokers, firms and other users. These range from the obligations of commodity exchange covenants to the provision of cash-settled, over-the-counter (OTC) contracts for a variety of financial and commodity instruments, including swaps, options, futures and forwards.
ICEs products include clearing services for exchange-traded contracts; brokerage services for institutional and retail investors; an end-user trading platform; a suite of real-time market data products; electronic trading solutions; and exchange information services. ICE also operates a market information service that provides access to real-time market and contract data through an internet connection.
Conclusion
Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, is the leading global network of exchanges and clearing houses, providing a portfolio of products and services across a range of asset classes, including equity, energy, commodities, credit and currency. Over nearly two decades, ICE established itself as one of the world’s largest exchanges, surviving major financial crises and creating innovative products to serve institutional and retail customers. Its trading and clearing services span multiple asset classes, include clearing services for exchange-traded contracts, brokerage services for institutional and retail investors, an end-user trading platform and a suite of real-time market data products. With its broad range of products and services, Intercontinental Exchange is a leading provider of data, technology, trading and clearing solutions and continues to be at the forefront of innovation in global markets.
