By: Arsheeya Bajwa and Aditya Soni
October 15, 2025 – 7:45 AM PDT
A group of investors, featuring major players like BlackRock, Microsoft, and Nvidia, is purchasing one of the largest data center operators in the world. This deal, valued at $40 billion, aims to secure essential computing power for artificial intelligence applications.
The target of this significant acquisition is Aligned Data Centers, a U.S.-based company currently owned by Australia’s Macquarie Asset Management. This transaction marks the first major move for the AI Infrastructure Partnership, which also includes investors like Abu Dhabi’s MGX fund and Elon Musk’s startup, xAI.
BlackRock’s CEO, Larry Fink, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “With this investment in Aligned Data Centers, we further our goal of delivering the infrastructure necessary to power the future of AI.”
This acquisition is part of a larger trend, where top tech companies are actively securing infrastructure to support their AI initiatives. According to estimates from Morgan Stanley, companies such as Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft are set to spend approximately $400 billion this year on AI infrastructure alone.
OpenAI, a key player in the AI landscape, has recently struck multi-billion dollar deals with chip manufacturers like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices to secure vast amounts of computing power, enough to supply energy to about 20 million U.S. homes.
Meanwhile, Meta Platforms is investing heavily in building new data centers, including extensive operations designed to handle high-demand AI workloads, set to begin operations by 2026.
Aligned Data Centers has been a standout performer in this expanding market, drawing in $12 billion in investment earlier this year, one of the largest ever for a data center venture. The surge in interest and investment in data center assets highlights their growing significance in today’s economy.
The investor group acquiring Aligned includes notable backers from Kuwait and Singapore and plans to initially deploy $30 billion of equity, with the possibility of increasing this amount to $100 billion with additional debt financing.
As the deal progresses, Aligned Data Centers will continue to be based in Dallas, Texas, under the leadership of CEO Andrew Schaap, ensuring its strategic location for future growth and development in the AI sector.
