Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, is reportedly in advanced discussions to make a significant investment in MoonPay, a leading crypto payments infrastructure company. Sources familiar with the matter indicate that this potential funding round could value MoonPay at approximately $5 billion, a substantial increase from its previous valuation of $3.4 billion.

New York-based MoonPay specializes in providing essential infrastructure that enables users to seamlessly buy and sell various cryptocurrencies. The company has significantly strengthened its regulatory standing, having recently secured a Limited Purpose Trust Charter from the New York Department of Financial Services. This new approval complements its existing BitLicense, allowing MoonPay to expand its custody and other critical crypto services within New York State. These combined regulatory achievements place MoonPay in an exclusive group alongside established entities like Coinbase and PayPal, which operate under New York's stringent digital asset framework.

ICE's interest in MoonPay underscores its strategic commitment to expanding its footprint in the rapidly evolving digital asset sector. The firm already operates Bakkt, its own crypto platform, and recently committed $2 billion to Polymarket, a prominent prediction market platform. Industry analysts view these strategic maneuvers as integral to ICE's broader initiative to actively engage with and capitalize on emerging financial technologies.

This development at MoonPay also coincides with a significant leadership announcement: Caroline Pham, the acting chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has confirmed her departure from the agency to join MoonPay. Pham will assume the crucial roles of chief legal officer and chief administrative officer. During her tenure at the CFTC, Pham was instrumental in numerous crypto-related initiatives, including the