Interest in data centers remains strong. At least, that’s the takeaway from the CBRE 2025 Global Data Center Investor Intentions Survey. With the help of 92 major global investors, CBRE analysts revealed that
- Capital commitment to the sector is robust
- Investor appetite remains resilient—95% of respondents said they plan to increase data center investments this year
- High-risk strategies dominate as higher yields are sought
Responses also suggested that some investors are planning to rebalance their portfolios or monetize gains “possibly in response to higher asset valuations for evolving risk profiles,” the report indicated. This is because 42% of those surveyed anticipated they would sell more this year than last year. Meanwhile, 30% of respondents said they don’t plan to sell.
Investors were also confident in data center pricing resilience, even in the face of broader market volatility. Specifically, 53% of respondents felt there would be no change in cap rates this year.
Another interesting tidbit is that hyper-scale build-to-suit structures are highlighting investment strategy, with 49% of respondents indicating that this product type would be the top opportunity for data center investment within the next 12 to 24 months. “Demand from hyperscalers, particularly for AI workloads, is driving investor interest in tailored, scalable infrastructure,” the report said.
The respondents were not shy about holding back on some of the challenges with data center investment. 39% of those surveyed pointed to regulations and power availability as issues when it came to buying this real estate product type. Specifically, power constraints and delays in permitting seem to be bottlenecks when it comes to data center growth.
Additional challenges facing these investors include intense competition, high valuation, product availability and the cost and availability of debt.
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