Global investment giant BlackRock and Spanish construction group ACS are close to sealing a €23 billion ($26 billion) deal to jointly develop data centres across Europe and North America. The proposed partnership, reported by Reuters, reflects surging investor appetite for digital infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence.

Under the agreement, BlackRock and its partner Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) will inject roughly €5 billion in equity, with another €18 billion in debt financing to fund expansion. The new entity, ACS Digital & Energy, will focus on building next-generation data facilities capable of handling AI-driven workloads.

Industry analysts say the deal highlights how data centres are becoming the “new real estate” of the digital economy. Demand for computing power has outpaced supply, prompting major funds to pour capital into long-term infrastructure plays that promise steady returns.

For ACS, the deal would mark a major step toward transforming from a traditional construction firm into a global digital-infrastructure player. For BlackRock, it reinforces its position at the centre of the AI investment wave reshaping global finance and technology.

Experts predict this trend will accelerate into 2026, as more institutional investors pivot toward assets supporting artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and renewable-powered data operations — marking a new frontier in global capital allocation.

Source: Reuters.