Debt - Narrative (Details) - Revolving Credit Facility	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 3,400,000,000.0
Additional borrowing capacity (up to)	975,000,000
Amount of debt outstanding	0
Amount required to stop broker-dealer subsidiary commitments	105,000,000
Funds available to use for working capital and general and corporate purposes	1,300,000,000
Commercial Paper
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Funds reserved for commercial paper program	2,000,000,000
Funds required to support certain subsidiary clearing house commitments	$ 100,000,000
Percentage of ownership interests	5.10%
Weighted average interest rate	1.86%
Weighted average maturity period	19 days
Commercial Paper \| Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Commercial paper maturities	2 days
Commercial Paper \| Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Commercial paper maturities	73 days

Commercial Paper Maturities

No definition available.

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- Definition

Commercial Paper, Weighted Average Interest Rate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Commercial Paper Weighted Average Maturity Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Debt Instrument, Percentage of Ownership Interests

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Additional Borrowing Capacity

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Funds Required to Support Certain Subsidiary Clearing House Commitments

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ice_
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Funds Reserved For Commercial Paper Program

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Unreserved Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ice_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit facility, Amount Required to Stop Broker-Dealer Subsidiary Commitments

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ice_
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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