Ice Open Network (ION), a prominent Layer 1 blockchain built to accelerate the adoption of Web3 through a decentralized, secure, and scalable infrastructure, has announced a strategic partnership with Uphold Inc., a global digital finance platform. The alliance is designed to enhance institutional infrastructure and catalyze broader global usage of decentralized technologies. The announcement was made public via the official social media account of Ice Open Network.
Enhancing Institutional Reach Through Strategic Custody
The collaboration positions Uphold as the designated Institutional Custody Platform for ION, enabling seamless access to more than 300 digital assets across over 40 blockchain networks. This partnership is expected to significantly strengthen ION’s operational foundation by facilitating integrations across over-the-counter (OTC), decentralized finance (DeFi), and centralized finance (CeFi) frameworks.
Uphold’s expansive infrastructure adds notable weight to ION’s ecosystem. The platform currently manages over $7 billion in assets and has processed transfers exceeding $53 trillion. With a global user base of more than 10 million, Uphold is recognized as one of the more established and trusted custodians in the digital finance space. Its inclusion in ION’s ecosystem brings increased institutional credibility and supports the network’s ambition to scale securely and compliantly.
Building Scalable and Trustworthy Blockchain Infrastructure
By leveraging Uphold’s institutional-grade custody solutions and compliance systems, Ice Open Network seeks to offer a flexible, secure environment tailored to high-volume digital operations. These capabilities align with the network’s long-term goal of establishing a reliable and sustainable infrastructure for mass adoption. The partnership not only brings technical value but also signals a shift in ION’s strategy toward building legitimacy in a highly competitive blockchain landscape.
ION views the collaboration as a pathway to unlocking multiple new growth vectors. Among the expected benefits are improved access to global liquidity pools, enhanced confidence among institutional investors and regulators, and better capital efficiency. These improvements could lay the groundwork for introducing advanced financial instruments and promoting cross-chain interoperability—factors considered crucial for the next phase of Web3 development.
🤝 We’re proud to announce our institutional partnership with @UpholdInc, one of the most trusted platforms in digital finance — managing $7B+ in assets, processing $53 trillion+ in transactions, and trusted by over 10 million users worldwide.
Through this partnership, Ice Open… pic.twitter.com/vhGttjdX5J
— Ice Open Network (@ice_blockchain) July 1, 2025
Advancing Web3 Evolution Through Infrastructure Synergy
The strategic alignment between ION and Uphold underscores a broader industry trend where infrastructure resilience and institutional engagement are becoming central to blockchain success. The partnership is poised to accelerate the maturity of decentralized networks by embedding regulatory-grade custody services into blockchain ecosystems.
Ice Open Network anticipates that this collaboration will not only streamline financial operations but also open up channels for global participation, making decentralized solutions more accessible and practical. The initiative is positioned as a forward-looking move that reinforces ION’s mission to contribute to the structural foundation of a more scalable, credible, and interconnected Web3 economy.
Through this joint effort, both entities aim to address existing limitations in digital asset infrastructure while paving the way for scalable innovation. The partnership signals a strong commitment to advancing the digital finance ecosystem through secure, compliant, and institutionally aligned blockchain solutions.
