Wall Street Titan ICE Explores Landmark Investment in MoonPay
In a move that further blurs the lines between traditional finance and the digital asset economy, Intercontinental platform Inc. (ICE)—the powerhouse parent company of the New York Stock platform—is reportedly in advanced discussions to invest in the cryptocurrency payments firm MoonPay. According to reports surfacing on December 18, 2025, the potential investment is part of a strategic funding round that could propel MoonPay’s valuation to approximately $5 billion. This represents a significant 47% increase from the company’s $3.4 billion valuation established during the 2021 market peak. While the specific dollar amount of ICE’s contribution remains undisclosed, the talks signal a major vote of confidence from one of the world’s most influential market operators, positioning MoonPay as a primary beneficiary of the accelerating “institutionalization” of crypto infrastructure.
Strategic Synergies and the $5 Billion Valuation Target
The timing of ICE’s interest coincides with a period of aggressive regulatory and operational expansion for MoonPay. Just days before the investment rumors surfaced, MoonPay secured a Limited Purpose Trust Charter from the New York Department of Financial Services, adding to its existing BitLicense and allowing the firm to offer full-scale fiduciary and custody services in the state. By potentially aligning with ICE, MoonPay gains access to the deep institutional plumbing of the global derivatives and equity markets. For ICE, the move fits into a broader 2025 strategy of capturing “on-chain” value; the firm recently committed $2 billion to the prediction platform Polymarket and has been actively exploring stablecoin settlement integrations with Circle. This partnership would effectively turn MoonPay into a regulated gateway for the NYSE’s vast network of retail and institutional clients, facilitating a more seamless bridge for fiat-to-crypto transitions within the traditional financial system.
MoonPay’s Executive Overhaul and Institutional Pivot
The reported investment interest follows a series of high-profile executive moves designed to shore up MoonPay’s regulatory standing. The most notable addition is Caroline D. Pham, the former Acting Chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), who is slated to join the firm as Chief Legal Officer. Pham’s transition from the top ranks of federal oversight to MoonPay’s C-suite provides the company with unparalleled insight into the evolving legal landscape, a factor that likely influenced ICE’s decision to pursue the deal. Furthermore, MoonPay has recently shifted its product focus toward enterprise-grade answers, including a partnership with Exodus to launch a fully reserved digital dollar in ahead 2026. By combining top-tier regulatory expertise with the backing of a global platform giant like ICE, MoonPay is evolving from a celebrity-endorsed beginup into a core utility of the modern financial stack, ready to handle the next wave of tokenized asset settlement.
