Asia Pacific data centre asset values are projected to exceed USD $950 billion by 2030, according to Cushman & Wakefield's latest regional investment study.
The report estimates more than USD $280 billion in new capital expenditure will be needed to support the region's development pipeline through the end of the decade. It also forecasts annual colocation revenue in Asia Pacific will surpass USD $66 billion by 2030.
The figures point to sharp expansion in a sector that has become a growing focus for real estate investors, lenders and infrastructure funds. Asia Pacific accounts for more than 60% of the world's population but only 22% of global operational data centre capacity, suggesting room for further build-out.
That expansion is expected to be concentrated in a relatively small group of markets. Japan, Malaysia, Australia, India and Indonesia are projected to account for nearly 77% of total capital expenditure in the region, or about USD $215 billion, with Japan alone representing almost one-quarter of the total.
Five markets
According to the study, the regional pipeline is also set to outpace other major geographies. Total data centre capacity in Asia Pacific is projected to increase 2.7 times by 2030, compared with 2.6 times in the Americas and 2.3 times in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The pipeline totals 26,455 megawatts, against 15,135 megawatts of current operational capacity. That scale of planned construction underpins the forecast rise in asset values and the need for fresh investment across land, buildings, energy supply and specialist equipment.
Debt markets have already shown strong interest in the sector. More than USD $43 billion in publicly announced debt financing was raised across Asia Pacific data centre operators in 2025 and 2026.
That activity reflects continued demand from banks, infrastructure investors and institutional capital for digital infrastructure exposure. It also suggests financing remains available for operators despite the large sums required for new sites and the long lead times involved in bringing them online.
Demand signal
Occupier demand has also strengthened. Pre-leasing volumes rose 115% between the first half of 2025 and the first half of 2026 as operators and hyperscale customers secured future capacity before sites were completed.
The largest volumes of committed capacity were recorded in Australia, Malaysia, India and Japan. Indonesia and Thailand posted the fastest growth, with pre-leasing volumes rising fivefold and ninefold, respectively.
Across the region, about 7.8 gigawatts of future capacity has already been secured. That level of pre-commitment gives investors a clearer view of likely revenue before projects open, particularly in markets where power constraints and longer development timelines can slow delivery.
"APAC remains one of the most compelling digital infrastructure investment opportunities globally," said Pritesh Swamy, Head of Research & Consulting, Data Centre Group, APAC, Cushman & Wakefield.
"The sector's growth is no longer driven solely by digital adoption. Investors are increasingly responding to the scale of infrastructure required to support AI, cloud computing and rapidly growing data consumption across the region. The imbalance between demand and available infrastructure continues to create significant opportunities for capital deployment."
AI effect
The study says artificial intelligence is changing the economics of new projects. Facilities designed for AI workloads and fitted with advanced cooling systems require 25% to 35% more capital expenditure than traditional data centres, reflecting higher power-density needs and more specialised infrastructure.
That shift is affecting how investors assess markets and assets. Power availability, the ability to expand sites and the suitability of facilities for more intensive computing loads are taking on greater weight in capital allocation decisions.
Revenue forecasts are similarly concentrated in the largest markets. Japan, Australia, Malaysia, India and mainland China are expected to generate about 71% of total regional colocation revenue by 2030, reinforcing their position at the centre of investor attention.
"What we're seeing is growing conviction among institutional investors that data centres are no longer a niche alternative asset class, but a critical component of modern infrastructure portfolios. Strong financing activity, increasing demand visibility and long-term revenue growth are supporting continued capital deployment across the region," said Gordon Marsden, Head of Global Capital, APAC & EMEA, Cushman & Wakefield.
Andrew Green, Head of Data Centre Group, APAC, Cushman & Wakefield, said artificial intelligence is likely to play a growing role in shaping investment decisions.
"We're entering a phase where infrastructure readiness will become a key determinant of capital allocation. Investors are increasingly prioritising assets and markets that can provide long-term power availability, scalability and the capability to support future AI requirements. Those factors will increasingly influence where capital flows and how value is created across the sector."