Which company owns the New York Stock Exchange and became one of the world's largest exchange operators by market capitalization?

Intercontinental Exchange owns the New York Stock Exchange and became one of the world's largest exchange operators by market capitalization.

Intercontinental Exchange, commonly abbreviated ICE, acquired NYSE Euronext in 2013. That transaction brought the New York Stock Exchange into ICE's corporate group and expanded the company's presence in equities, listings, data, clearing, and derivatives.

ICE was founded in 2000 as an electronic marketplace for energy commodities. It grew through acquisitions and diversification, adding exchanges and financial infrastructure businesses. Its operations include futures exchanges, clearing houses, mortgage-technology services, and market-data products.

The New York Stock Exchange is a trading venue, while Intercontinental Exchange is the publicly traded parent company. The NYSE also lists the shares of thousands of companies, but its famous trading floor is not itself a separately listed company. That distinction explains why market-cap rankings generally name ICE rather than the NYSE.