VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. vs MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

ICE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
87/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ICE analysis

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

MKTX · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$6.7B
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
Moat score
74/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into MarketAxess Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MKTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for MarketAxess Holdings Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 3 segments (53.4% in Exchanges); MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 2 segments (87.1% in Trade Execution Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

Exchanges

Market

Derivatives, cash equities, and listings exchanges plus central clearing (CCP) services

Geography

Global

Customer

Market participants (banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, proprietary traders) and issuers

Role

Exchange operator + clearing house (CCP)

Revenue share

53.4%

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

Trade Execution Solutions

Market

Electronic fixed-income trade execution platforms (credit and rates)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional investors, broker-dealers, and alternative liquidity providers

Role

Electronic trading venue / marketplace operator

Revenue share

87.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
MarketAxess Holdings Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ICE - New York Stock Exchange
MKTX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$6.7B
Sector
Financials
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Exchanges
Trade Execution Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
75% (reported)
19% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
87 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Legal, Demand, Supply
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Two Sided NetworkData Workflow LockinData Network EffectsCompliance Advantage

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. strengths

Clearing SettlementConcession LicenseBrand TrustPhysical Network DensityInteroperability HubStandards Registry

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralEcosystem Complements

Segment mix

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Exchanges

Oligopoly

53.4%

Fixed Income and Data Services

Oligopoly

24.8%

Mortgage Technology

Oligopoly

21.8%

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Trade Execution Solutions

Oligopoly

87.1%

Services (Data, Post-Trade and Technology)

Competitive

12.9%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.