ICE To Build Updated Mortgage Registry Infrastructure
Reston, Atlanta, New York – June 20, 2016 – (RealEstateRama) — MERSCORP Holdings, Inc. and Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), today announced that ICE will acquire a majority equity position in MERSCORP Holdings, Inc., owner of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (collectively “MERS”). In addition, ICE and MERS have entered into a software development agreement to modernize and enhance the MERS® System.
MERSCORP Holdings owns and operates the MERS® System, a national electronic registry that tracks the changes in servicing rights and beneficial ownership interests in U.S.-based mortgage loans. ICE is a leading operator of global exchanges and clearing houses and provider of data and listings services.
“This transaction underscores MERSCORP Holdings’ efforts to strengthen the value to its member institutions and continue to support MERS’ role as a national mortgage registry,” said Kurt Pfotenhauer, Chairman of MERSCORP Holdings. “The investment of capital and resources from ICE will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of MERS for our more than 5,000 member organizations.”
“This agreement brings the strengths of our organizations together to benefit the U.S. residential mortgage finance market,” said Jeffrey C. Sprecher, ICE Chairman and CEO. “It also complements our data and technology expertise in diverse, regulated markets. We are pleased to bring our strong track record of innovation, governance and operational execution to MERS, and look forward to contributing to the evolution of mortgage market infrastructure.”
Benefits of this transaction will include:
• A commitment by a leading market infrastructure operator with global experience in complex, regulated financial environments;
• A state-of-the-art MERS® System with dynamic, world-class data and transaction management that strengthens value to stakeholders, including home-buyers and regulators; and
• Continued support of eNotes, which are electronic promissory notes, and electronic processing that serves lenders and consumers.
The transaction is expected to close at the end of June. Under the agreements, ICE will rebuild the MERS® System infrastructure and is expected to shift its operation to an ICE data center in the first half of 2018. Price and terms of the transaction are immaterial to ICE, and were not disclosed.
For additional information on MERS, please visit www.mersinc.org. For additional information on ICE, please visit www.theice.com.
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About MERSCORP Holdings, Inc.
MERSCORP Holdings, Inc. is a privately held corporation that owns and manages the MERS® System and all other MERS® products. Users of the MERS® System include thousands of lenders, servicers, sub-servicers, investors and government institutions. Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) serves as the mortgagee in the land records for loans registered on the MERS® System, and is a nominee (or agent) for the owner of the promissory note. The MERS® System is a national electronic database that tracks changes in mortgage servicing and beneficial ownership interests in residential mortgage loans on behalf of its members.
About Intercontinental Exchange
Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:ICE) operates the leading network of global futures, equity and equity options exchanges, as well as global clearing and data services across financial and commodity markets. The New York Stock Exchange is the world leader in capital raising, listings and equities trading.
Trademarks of ICE and/or its affiliates include Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, ICE block design, NYSE and New York Stock Exchange, Interactive Data and Trayport. Information regarding additional trademarks and intellectual property rights of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and/or its affiliates is located at www.intercontinentalexchange.com/terms-of-use.
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, 2015, as filed with the SEC on February 4, 2016.
MERS CONTACT: Janis Smith
Phone: 703-738-0230
Email: janiss (at) mersinc (dot) org
ICE Contact: Kelly Loeffler
Phone: 770-857-4726
Email: Kelly.loeffler (at) theice (dot) com
