Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Statements of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Clearing Fees Revenue	$ 777	$ 831	$ 2,566	$ 2,414
Market Data Revenue	489	209	1,463	614
Revenues:
Listing Fees and Other Revenues	150	147	445	435
Total revenues	1,416	1,187	4,474	3,463
Transaction-based expenses	338	371	1,113	1,000
Total revenues, less transaction-based expenses	1,078	816	3,361	2,463
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits	236	150	708	445
Technology and communication	93	49	277	147
Professional services	32	37	101	102
Rent and occupancy	17	14	52	45
Acquisition-related transaction costs	14	8	61	34
Selling, general and administrative	80	75	236	229
Depreciation and amortization	181	94	470	276
Total operating expenses	604	376	1,752	1,131
Operating income	474	440	1,609	1,332
Interest expense, intercompany	0	0	0	0
Other Operating Income (Expense), Net	(31)	(17)	(110)	(70)
Total other expense, net	(31)	(17)	(110)	(70)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	443	423	1,499	1,262
Income tax expense (benefit)	93	113	409	340
Equity earnings from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	350	310	1,090	922	$ 1,295
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(6)	(4)	(20)	(18)
Net income (loss) attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	344	306	1,070	904
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Clearing Fees Revenue	0	0	0	0
Market Data Revenue	0	0	0	0
Revenues:
Listing Fees and Other Revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Transaction-based expenses	0	0	0	0
Total revenues, less transaction-based expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits	0	0	0	0
Technology and communication	0	0	0	0
Acquisition-related transaction costs	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense, intercompany	16	9	32	28
Other Operating Income (Expense), Net	(4)	(17)	(12)	(50)
Total other expense, net	12	(8)	20	(22)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	12	(8)	20	(22)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings from subsidiaries	309	120	920	288
Net income (loss)	321	112	940	266
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	321	112	940	266
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Clearing Fees Revenue	0	0	0	0
Market Data Revenue	0	0	0	0
Revenues:
Listing Fees and Other Revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Transaction-based expenses	0	0	0	0
Total revenues, less transaction-based expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits	0	0	1	1
Technology and communication	0	0	0	0
Acquisition-related transaction costs	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	1	0	1	1
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	1	0	2	2
Operating income	(1)	0	(2)	(2)
Interest expense, intercompany	(3)	(2)	(13)	(4)
Other Operating Income (Expense), Net	(34)	(13)	(113)	(20)
Total other expense, net	(37)	(15)	(126)	(24)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(38)	(15)	(128)	(26)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	(16)	0	(19)
Equity earnings from subsidiaries	381	305	1,197	911
Net income (loss)	343	306	1,069	904
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	343	306	1,069	904
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Clearing Fees Revenue	777	831	2,566	2,414
Market Data Revenue	489	209	1,463	614
Revenues:
Listing Fees and Other Revenues	150	147	445	435
Total revenues	1,416	1,187	4,474	3,463
Transaction-based expenses	338	371	1,113	1,000
Total revenues, less transaction-based expenses	1,078	816	3,361	2,463
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits	236	150	707	444
Technology and communication	93	49	277	147
Acquisition-related transaction costs	14	8	61	34
Selling, general and administrative	79	75	235	228
Depreciation and amortization	181	94	470	276
Total operating expenses	603	376	1,750	1,129
Operating income	475	440	1,611	1,334
Interest expense, intercompany	(13)	(7)	(19)	(24)
Other Operating Income (Expense), Net	7	13	15	0
Total other expense, net	(6)	6	(4)	(24)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	469	446	1,607	1,310
Income tax expense (benefit)	93	129	409	359
Equity earnings from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	376	317	1,198	951
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	(6)	(4)	(20)	(18)
Net income (loss) attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	370	313	1,178	933
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Clearing Fees Revenue	0	0	0	0
Market Data Revenue	0	0	0	0
Revenues:
Listing Fees and Other Revenues	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Transaction-based expenses	0	0	0	0
Total revenues, less transaction-based expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses:
Compensation and benefits	0	0	0	0
Technology and communication	0	0	0	0
Acquisition-related transaction costs	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	0	0	0	0
Operating income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense, intercompany	0	0	0	0
Other Operating Income (Expense), Net	0	0	0	0
Total other expense, net	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Equity earnings from subsidiaries	(690)	(425)	(2,117)	(1,199)
Net income (loss)	(690)	(425)	(2,117)	(1,199)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	$ (690)	$ (425)	$ (2,117)	$ (1,199)