ICE Brent Options Reach Record Traded Volume in Q3 2026 as Customers Manage Risk Across the Brent Curve
ICE’s Share of Global Crude Options Volume Has Grown Year-Over-Year for More Than a Decade
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Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE), one of the world’s leading providers of financial market technology and data powering global capital markets, today announced record trading activity across options on ICE Brent, the global benchmark for crude oil and the price barometer for more than three-quarters of the world’s internationally traded crude.
A record 28 million ICE Brent options contracts traded in the third quarter of 2026, alongside record average daily volume of more than 437,200 contracts during the quarter, up 63% year-to-date (YTD). Open interest across ICE Brent options is up 18% year-over-year at 4 million contracts.
“This has been the highest volume year for Brent options in ICE’s history. Energy market volatility is a factor for almost all markets and as the global benchmark, Brent is increasingly the most liquid instrument to manage price risk and express a view on where prices could go next,” said Jeff Barbuto, SVP, Global Head of Oil Markets at ICE. “ICE’s share of global crude options volume, number of participants, number of new actively traded Brent options instruments and overall volume have been increasing year-over-year for more than a decade.”
“Whether market participants are hedging near-term event risk through weekly Brent options with daily expiries, long-dated exposure through monthly contracts, or average price risk, ICE offers the liquidity, product depth and margin efficiencies that come from trading their crude needs in one place,” continued Barbuto.
ICE offers products for managing risk at every point on the Brent curve, with ICE Brent underpinning more than 800 futures and options contracts across global oil markets, spanning crude oil, refined products, biofuels and wet freight. In addition to ICE Brent, ICE’s global oil benchmarks include ICE Midland WTI (HOU), Platts Dubai and Low Sulphur Gasoil, giving customers the ability to price and manage risk across oil markets. Average daily volume is up 23% YTD across ICE Brent futures and options markets.
About Intercontinental Exchange
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE) is a Fortune 500 company that designs, builds, and operates digital networks that connect people to opportunity. We provide financial technology and data services across major asset classes helping our customers access mission-critical workflow tools that increase transparency and efficiency. ICE’s futures, equity, and options exchanges — including the New York Stock Exchange — and clearing houses help people invest, raise capital and manage risk. We offer some of the world’s largest markets to trade and clear energy and environmental products. Our fixed income, data services and execution capabilities provide information, analytics and platforms that help our customers streamline processes and capitalize on opportunities. At ICE Mortgage Technology, we are transforming U.S. housing finance, from initial consumer engagement through loan production, closing, registration and the long-term servicing relationship. Together, ICE transforms, streamlines, and automates industries to connect our customers to opportunity.
Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located here. Key Information Documents for certain products covered by the EU Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products Regulation can be accessed on the relevant exchange website under the heading “Key Information Documents (KIDS).”
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 — Statements in this press release regarding ICE’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as filed with the SEC on February 5, 2026.
Category: Exchanges
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261013755877/en/
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