BlackRock, Nvidia-backed consortium buys Aligned Data Centers in USD40b deal
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The news: Investors led by BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) have agreed to buy Macquarie Asset Management-owned Aligned Data Centers in its latest bet on AI.
The numbers: A statement shared by Macquarie Asset Management on Wednesday said that deal values Aligned Data Centers at approximately USD40 billion ($61.4 billion).
The consortium, the AI Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), aims to mobilise USD30 billion of equity capital from investors, asset owners, and corporations, with the potential to reach USD100 billion including debt financing.
The context: The acquisition will be the first made by the AIP consortium which include Nvidia, xAI, Microsoft and Abu Dhabi fund MGX since it was formed in 2024. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2026.
Aligned, which designs, builds and operates data centres for the hyperscalers, neocloud and enterprises, will remain headquartered in Dallas, Texas, after the acquisition and will be led by CEO Andrew Schaap.
Aligned’s portfolio includes 50 campuses and more than 5 gigawatts of operational and planned capacity, including assets under development, located across the United States and Latin America.
The purchase is the latest in a series of major AI deals as investors scramble to secure computing power, chips, and the infrastructure required to capitalise on the technology’s potential.
What they said: 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. With this investment in Aligned Data Centers, we further our goal of delivering the infrastructure necessary to power the future of AI, while offering our clients attractive opportunities to participate in its growth.”
The sources: Macquarie Asset Management, AIP press release
