In a significant shift towards digital assets, Andrew Cuomo, the former governor of New York and a candidate for the city’s mayoral election in 2025, has agreed to cochair a joint venture between the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), owner of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), and the cryptocurrency exchange OKX. The announcement was made jointly by the two companies on Monday.
The initiative aims to tokenize assets listed on the NYSE by placing them into blockchain frameworks, allowing for innovative financial transactions. An OKX spokesperson elaborated on the venture, sharing that both companies intend to provide users with access to tokenized futures and equities, a service that promises to enhance how investors interact with traditional financial assets through digital means.
Cuomo emphasized the transformative nature of this undertaking, highlighting how users can access the NYSE via their smartphones, making transactions possible any day of the week—an unprecedented convenience in the financial world. “You can virtually walk through the front door of the New York Stock Exchange through your smartphone, and you can do that seven days a week in a way you never could before,” he mentioned.
This venture follows ICE’s substantial investment in OKX earlier in March, which was reported to value the crypto exchange at approximately $25 billion. The investment included a capital infusion of around $200 million, reflecting Wall Street’s growing interest in integrating digital assets into conventional finance.
Cuomo’s transition into the crypto world signals a new chapter following his political career, particularly after he lost the mayoral race to Zohran Mamdani. He indicated that he would dedicate most of his efforts to this new role while also engaging with several unnamed nonprofits and philanthropic organizations. Trabue Bland, senior vice president at ICE, will cochair the project alongside Cuomo.
Despite previous controversies surrounding his departure from public office, where he faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment—which he has denied—Cuomo has established a working relationship with OKX since early 2023. He began advising the company as it navigated legal challenges, culminating in a $500 million settlement in 2025 for violations related to anti-money-laundering regulations.
The former governor clarified in a recent interview that his interest lies more in the underlying technology of blockchain rather than in cryptocurrency per se. “This is not about crypto. This is about blockchain and financial technology, and applying blockchain to other assets,” he asserted. He distanced himself from the term “crypto,” which often carries a mixed reputation, especially given associations with meme coins and other questionable elements within the industry.
When asked about his personal investments in cryptocurrencies, Cuomo remained vague, stating, “I own multiple asset classes,” but did not disclose specific details. He also left the door open for a possible return to politics, commenting, “No plans,” while adding, “But never say never.”
