Data Center Colocation Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Data Center Colocation Market is projected to expand significantly, rising from a valuation of USD 76.37 Billion in 2025 to USD 174.91 Billion by 2031, reflecting a CAGR of 14.81%. This service model involves external providers supplying secure physical space, cooling, and power infrastructure to house client-owned computing hardware. By adopting this approach, enterprises can retain server ownership while shifting from capital-intensive private facility management to a more flexible operational expenditure framework. Key growth drivers include the strategic need for robust disaster recovery capabilities and the demand for scalable connectivity essential for hybrid cloud deployments, allowing businesses to rapidly enhance digital capabilities without the logistical burden of building internal facilities.

However, the market faces significant hurdles due to power scarcity and sustainability requirements. High energy consumption has strained grid capacity in major markets, limiting the ability of providers to introduce new inventory. Data from the International Energy Agency indicates that global data centers consumed roughly 415 terawatt hours of electricity in 2024, highlighting the immense pressure on power infrastructure. This energy constraint, combined with stringent environmental regulations, presents a substantial risk to the continued growth of the global colocation sector.

Market Drivers

The surge in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing workloads is fundamentally transforming infrastructure demands within the global colocation sector. As organizations adopt complex language models and data-heavy applications, they require facilities capable of handling extreme power densities and utilizing advanced liquid cooling technologies, which are often absent in traditional on-premises centers. Colocation providers are actively upgrading their infrastructure to support these specialized requirements, establishing themselves as the physical foundation for AI advancements. This shift is generating massive demand for capacity; according to JLL's 'Data Centers 2024 Global Outlook' from May 2024, the computing capacity needed for AI training and inference is expected to double the size of the data center industry over the next five years.

Concurrently, the push toward hybrid and multi-cloud strategies is propelling market growth by creating a need for robust, carrier-neutral interconnection hubs. Enterprises are moving away from isolated data storage in favor of colocation environments that provide low-latency connectivity to various public cloud providers while preserving private infrastructure for sensitive tasks. This approach enables companies to manage costs and ensure regulatory compliance without compromising scalability. According to Flexera’s 'State of the Cloud Report' from March 2024, 89% of organizations have embraced a multi-cloud strategy, utilizing multiple providers to meet different technical needs. This dependence on distributed digital ecosystems is driving broader expansion, with Equinix forecasting in 2024 that global interconnection bandwidth will grow at a compound annual rate of 34%.

Market Challenges

The lack of available power and the inability to secure adequate grid capacity represent major obstacles for the Global Data Center Colocation Market. As operators strive to expand facilities to accommodate the exponential demand from high-density computing, they are frequently impeded by utility infrastructure unable to supply the required megawattage. This bottleneck effectively limits revenue potential, as providers are physically prevented from activating new server halls or fulfilling client contracts despite strong demand. Consequently, the inability to obtain timely power connections compels operators to postpone construction projects and suspend leasing activities, thereby stalling market growth in critical digital hubs where inventory is most needed.

This infrastructure shortfall is evident in recent industry operational data. According to AFCOM, 58% of data center professionals reported significant supply chain constraints related specifically to power systems in 2024. This statistic suggests that the challenge encompasses not only raw electricity generation but also the procurement of essential equipment needed to distribute and manage that power. Without the requisite transformers, switchgear, and utility connections, colocation providers are unable to translate their capital investments into operational inventory, which directly slows the overall growth trajectory of the global sector.

Market Trends

The expansion into secondary and edge markets is significantly altering the sector's geographical landscape as operators look to avoid the power and land limitations affecting primary hubs. With major digital corridors like Northern Virginia and Frankfurt experiencing severe grid constraints, providers are increasingly establishing facilities in Tier 2 cities to ensure inventory availability and reduce latency for regional users. This decentralization strategy not only relieves infrastructure strain on major grids but also addresses the localized data processing requirements of enterprises using distributed applications. According to the CBRE 'North America Data Center Trends H1 2024' report from August 2024, the strong shift in demand toward these emerging locations resulted in the overall vacancy rate for secondary markets dropping to 9.7% in the first half of 2024.

Simultaneously, the acceleration of sustainability and net-zero initiatives has shifted from being a corporate responsibility metric to a crucial operational requirement for global colocation providers. Operators are aggressively sourcing renewable energy and adopting low-carbon technologies to satisfy tenant ESG demands and adhere to stricter environmental regulations. This trend is fueling an increase in power purchase agreements and the retrofitting of older facilities to enhance energy efficiency, ensuring long-term competitiveness in a climate-aware market. As noted in Digital Realty's '2023 ESG Report' released in June 2024, the company demonstrated this sector-wide dedication by achieving 66% renewable energy usage across its global portfolio, highlighting the rapid move toward carbon-neutral operations.

Key Players Profiled in the Data Center Colocation Market

• Equinix, Inc.
• Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
• CyrusOne Inc.
• NTT Ltd.
• CoreSite Realty Corporation
• Iron Mountain Incorporated
• QTS Realty Trust, Inc.
• Switch, Inc.
• Global Switch Holdings Limited
• Flexential, Inc.

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Data Center Colocation Market has been segmented into the following categories:

Data Center Colocation Market, by Colocation Type:

• Retail
• Wholesale

Data Center Colocation Market, by Enterprise Size:

• Large
• SMEs

Data Center Colocation Market, by End-Use:

• BFSI
• Retail
• Others

Data Center Colocation Market, by Region:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Data Center Colocation Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

This product will be delivered within 1-3 business days.