Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
A global network of financial exchanges, data services, and mortgage technology. It runs trading platforms for energy, agricultural, and financial futures, owns the New York Stock Exchange, and offers a digital platform covering the whole U.S. home-loan lifecycle from origination to servicing. It began in 2000 when power-plant developer Jeffrey Sprecher, frustrated by opaque energy trading, bought a struggling Atlanta firm for one dollar and built an electronic marketplace. The name "Intercontinental" reflects its cross-border, web-based design.