With Over $270 Billion in Announced FDI, Data Centers Emerge as a Structuring Force of Global Flows, Pushing Other Strategic Sectors to the Background
La Presse —
A cutting‑edge industry, still emerging but experiencing very rapid growth, data centers are gradually reaching their cruising speed and continue to attract an increasing volume of investment worldwide.
An impressive dynamic that reflects the growing importance of this sector for the global economy and that has helped boost telecommunications investments worldwide, now exceeding, in value, those devoted to renewable energy.
Indeed, according to the recent 2025 report published by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), data centers captured more than one‑fifth of global investment in new projects. A performance that positions them “as a major force shaping global investment in 2025,” the report notes.
Driven by growing demand for artificial‑intelligence infrastructure and digital networks, announced foreign direct investment (FDI) in this sector has surpassed $270 billion. These are particularly capital‑intensive investments, especially since, in most cases, they are brand‑new foreign projects built from the ground up.
With this volume, the data‑center sector contributed significantly to the 14 % rise in global FDI in 2025, which reached roughly $1.6 trillion. This growth, however, masks an increasing concentration of worldwide investment in a limited set of capital‑intensive strategic sectors, dominated by data centers and also by semiconductors.
The report also notes that while this dynamic has improved overall international investment performance, its geographic spill‑overs remain limited. Data‑center investments have concentrated in a small number of host countries, notably France, the United States, and the Republic of Korea.
Only a few emerging markets rank among the main beneficiaries. UNCTAD data further reveal that “unlike traditional telecommunications investment, a large portion of FDI expansion in data centers has occurred through entirely new infrastructure owned by companies,” reflecting heightened competition in AI‑related technologies.
These results contrast with the overall trend in global investment, which has weakened across much of the economy. The number of projects worldwide fell by 25 % in sectors exposed to tariffs and heavily integrated into global value chains, such as textiles, electronics, and machinery.
“Investment in renewable energy has declined, with a 28 % drop in the value of greenfield projects, as investors reassessed regulatory risks and uncertainties,”
International infrastructure investment fell by 10 % in 2025, mainly due to the slowdown in renewables, the report states. Moreover, the document notes that FDI flows to developed economies jumped 43 % to about $728 billion in 2025, reflecting the concentration of technology‑focused strategic investments.
The European Union recorded a 56 % increase, partly supported by technology‑related agreements. In contrast, flows to developing economies fell 2 % to $877 billion. Three‑quarters of the least‑advanced countries saw stagnant or declining inflows.
Key Takeaways
- $270 Billion+ announced FDI in data centers (2025)
- Data centers account for >20 % of global new‑project investment
- Global FDI total: ≈ $1.6 trillion, up 14 % YoY
- Concentration of investment in France, USA, South Korea
- Renewable‑energy project values down 28 %; overall infrastructure investment down 10 %
- FDI to developed economies up 43 %; EU up 56 %; developing economies down 2 %
These figures underline the strategic shift toward capital‑intensive, technology‑driven sectors, with data centers leading the charge as a pivotal engine of the 2025 global investment landscape.
