In May 2025, we acquired a digital asset custody business now known as ICE Digital Trust, LLC. Our new initiatives in connection with our digital asset custody business present operational, reputational, and financial risks, including increased risk of a security breach, system…
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In May 2025, we acquired a digital asset custody business now known as ICE Digital Trust, LLC. Our new initiatives in connection with our digital asset custody business present operational, reputational, and financial risks, including increased risk of a security breach, system failure, or in connection with a decline in demand for digital assets. More specifically, the failure to safeguard and manage digital asset accounts could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition. The theft, loss, or destruction of private keys required to access any crypto assets held in custody may be irreversible, and we could be held liable for customer losses. Our insurance policies may not be adequate to reimburse us for losses caused by security breaches or incidents, and we may lose crypto assets valued in excess of the insurance policy without any recourse. Unlike bank accounts or accounts at some other financial institutions, in the event of loss or loss of utility value, there is no public insurer to offer recourse to us or to any consumer and the misappropriated crypto may not be easily traced to the bad actor. Additionally, custodial platforms are prime targets for hackers. A breach of our custody systems could lead to the theft of customer assets and unauthorized transfers, for which the company might be held liable, and traditional insurance may not adequately cover losses related to digital assets. Further, our ownership of a digital asset custody business may also involve dependencies on decentralized or other third party blockchain services and the protocols, which we do not control and in turn may expose us to new and evolving technological risks. The digital asset industry is subject to rapidly evolving and uncertain regulations at both the state and federal levels. Changes in laws or enforcement patterns, such as those related to anti-money laundering (AML) and tax reporting, could impact our ability to operate the business. Further, recent developments in the digital asset economy have led to increased volatility in digital asset markets, which in turn may increase the potential for loss of confidence in the digital asset ecosystem, or negative publicity surrounding digital assets impacting our reputation. ICE Digital Trust is a New York limited purpose trust company that is subject to extensive regulation by the NYDFS. Compliance with any such regulatory requirements increases our regulatory burden and gives rise to costs and expenses that may have a material impact on our financial condition.