Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive 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]
Net income	$ 350	$ 310	$ 1,090	$ 922	$ 1,295
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(46)	(36)	(245)	(17)
Change in fair value of available-for-sale-securities	(12)	(87)	117	(126)
Other comprehensive loss	(58)	(123)	(128)	(145)	$ (142)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Affiliates	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	292	187	962	777
Comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests	(6)	(4)	(20)	(18)
Comprehensive income attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	286	183	942	759
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, before Tax	0	0	0	(2)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	321	112	940	266
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	0	(1)	0	0
Change in fair value of available-for-sale-securities	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive loss	0	(1)	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Affiliates	(46)	9	(64)	(5)
Comprehensive income	275	120	876	261
Comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	275	120	876	261
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, before Tax				0
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	343	306	1,069	904
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of available-for-sale-securities	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive loss	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Affiliates	(58)	(123)	(128)	(145)
Comprehensive income	285	183	941	759
Comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	285	183	941	759
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, before Tax				0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	376	317	1,198	951
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(46)	(35)	(245)	(17)
Change in fair value of available-for-sale-securities	(12)	(87)	117	(126)
Other comprehensive loss	(58)	(122)	(128)	(145)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Affiliates	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income	318	195	1,070	806
Comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests	(6)	(4)	(20)	(18)
Comprehensive income attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	312	191	1,050	788
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, before Tax				(2)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	(690)	(425)	(2,117)	(1,199)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of available-for-sale-securities	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive loss	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Affiliates	104	114	192	150
Comprehensive income	(586)	(311)	(1,925)	(1,049)
Comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to ICE Group, Inc.	$ (586)	$ (311)	$ (1,925)	(1,049)
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Adjustment, before Tax				$ 0