A global investor consortium led by the Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), MGX, and BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) will acquire 100% of Aligned Data Centers in a transaction valued at approximately $40 billion. The deal transfers ownership from Macquarie Asset Management and its partners, positioning Aligned as the anchor asset in AIP’s effort to build and finance large-scale AI data center capacity worldwide.
Founded less than a decade ago, Aligned has grown into one of the largest hyperscale data center operators globally, with more than 5 GW of operational and planned capacity across 50 campuses. Its portfolio spans Tier I digital gateway regions in the U.S. and Latin America, including Northern Virginia, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Ohio, São Paulo (Brazil), Querétaro (Mexico), and Santiago (Chile). The company’s patented air, liquid, and hybrid cooling technologies allow it to meet high-density AI workloads even in constrained power environments.
The acquisition marks AIP’s first investment as part of a larger goal to mobilize $30 billion in equity—and potentially $100 billion including debt—for AI infrastructure. With backing from sovereign investors such as the Kuwait Investment Authority and Temasek, AIP was formed by BlackRock, GIP, MGX, Microsoft, and NVIDIA to accelerate global AI data capacity. The deal underscores the rapid institutionalization of AI infrastructure as a distinct global asset class.
Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock and Chairman of AIP, said, “AIP is positioned to meet the growing demand for the infrastructure required as AI continues to reshape the global economy. This partnership is bringing together leading companies and mobilizing private capital to accelerate AI innovation and drive global economic growth and productivity.”
🌐 Analysis
Aligned Data Centers Portfolio (Operational + Announced)
- Northern Virginia – Multiple campuses across Ashburn and Loudoun County (operational and under expansion)
- Chicago, Illinois – Multi-building campus exceeding 200 MW
- Dallas, Texas – Corporate headquarters; more than 300 MW active and planned capacity
- Phoenix, Arizona – Major hyperscale development with multi-gigawatt growth potential
- Salt Lake City, Utah – Active and expansion capacity supporting U.S. West workloads
- Columbus, Ohio – Large-scale expansion targeting Midwest AI and enterprise workloads
- São Paulo, Brazil – Aligned LATAM flagship campus under construction
- Querétaro, Mexico – 200 MW regional hub under development
- Santiago, Chile – Early-stage site acquisition and permitting
With over 5 GW of total operational and planned capacity, Aligned’s scale places it among the top five privately held data center operators worldwide—alongside Digital Realty, Equinix, QTS, and Vantage. The $40 billion valuation exceeds DigitalBridge’s 2023 sale of Vantage Data Centers ($30 billion) and nearly doubles Brookfield’s 2022 acquisition of Data4 ($17 billion), underscoring the strategic premium placed on AI-ready infrastructure.
