ICE Considers Avalanche Blockchain for Tokenized Securities Platform

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), is considering the Avalanche blockchain for its planned tokenized securities platform. The platform would allow for around-the-clock trading and settlement with stablecoin-based transactions.

Michael Blaugrund, an ICE executive, stated in a September 17 update that Avalanche 'checks a lot of those boxes' as the exchange operator weighs several networks for the alternative trading system (ATS). He emphasized that no formal contract has been signed, and the process remains an evaluation.

The envisioned platform would pair the NYSE's Pillar matching engine with blockchain settlement, creating what ICE describes as a comprehensive digital-asset market that integrates with existing securities infrastructure. Requirements include robust performance, institutional wallet support, interoperability, and the ability to connect with transfer agents, broker-dealers, stablecoin issuers, and central clearinghouses such as the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation.

The project gained momentum in March when NYSE and Securitize signed a memorandum of understanding making Securitize the first digital transfer agent eligible to serve the upcoming platform. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission granted temporary conditional exemptions for tokenized U.S. stocks on September 17, advancing on-chain trading but not clearing operational and regulatory thresholds.