Crypto may still be known for its wild price swings, but that hasn’t stopped major financial institutions and venture capital firms from doubling down on the industry.
In fact, some of the biggest names in traditional finance are quietly expanding their crypto bets, building infrastructure, launching new venture funds, and positioning themselves for the next phase of digital asset adoption.
One of the clearest signals came this week when New York Stock Exchange parent Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) revealed a small investment in crypto exchange OKX.
The deal values OKX at around $25 billion.
Related: OKX eyes US expansion: ‘Dynamic market for crypto entry,’ says top executive
Under the agreement, ICE will license OKX’s spot cryptocurrency price data and use it to launch U.S.-regulated futures contracts.
At the same time, OKX will distribute ICE’s US futures and benchmark equity markets to a global network of more than 120 million users.
ICE will also take a seat on OKX’s board as part of the deal, although the exact amount of the investment was not disclosed.
The move follows ICE’s recent crypto-related investment in Polymarket, the world’s largest futures market.
Together, these steps suggest that traditional financial giants are increasingly embedding themselves in the digital asset ecosystem.
In simple terms, large institutions are less focused on short-term price fluctuations and more interested in building long-term financial rails that can support the next wave of crypto adoption.
Institutional trust is not limited to traditional taxes.
Venture capital firms, especially those in Silicon Valley, also continue to amass large pools of money dedicated to blockchain investment.
Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto division, a16z Crypto, is reportedly raising about $2 billion for its fifth crypto-focused fund, according to a Fortune exclusive. Fundraising is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026.
The company has been one of the most active investors in the sector. Its first crypto fund raised $300 million in 2018, and each subsequent fund grew larger, culminating in a $4.5 billion fund in 2022.
While the new fund is smaller than the previous one, sources say the company is deliberately shortening its fundraising cycle to keep up with the fast-paced trends in the crypto industry.
