Vantage Data Centers Completes Acquisition of Johor Hyperscale Campus and Secures US$1.6 Billion Funding Led by GIC and ADIA

Vantage Data Centers has officially finalised the acquisition of a hyperscale data centre campus in the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), marking the company’s third major campus in Malaysia and strengthening the region’s position as a fast-rising digital infrastructure powerhouse.

The campus, known as JHB1, spans 30 hectares—roughly the size of 40 football fields—and is one of the largest hyperscale developments in Southeast Asia. Once fully built, JHB1 will deliver more than 300MW of IT capacity across three state-of-the-art data centres, catering to the surging demand for AI workloads and cloud computing across the region.

Backed by Sovereign Wealth Funds: GIC and ADIA Lead US .6 Billion Funding

The acquisition was completed using part of a US .6 billion investment round, led by two major sovereign wealth funds:

• Singapore’s GIC (through an affiliate)

• Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) (via a subsidiary)

The new capital injection follows DigitalBridge Group’s longstanding backing of Vantage, signalling continued confidence in Malaysia—particularly Johor—as a global data centre hub aligned with the needs of hyperscale AI and cloud providers.

Accelerating Growth Across APAC

Vantage Data Centers’ APAC president Jeremy Deutsch stated that the JHB1 acquisition fits into the company’s broader regional expansion strategy.

“We are bringing one of Southeast Asia’s largest and most advanced hyperscale campuses into our platform, enhancing our ability to deliver sustainable and scalable infrastructure for AI and cloud customers at rapid speed and scale.”

The company’s growth is expected to reinforce momentum across Malaysia’s rising digital corridors, benefiting complementary segments such as industrial land in Selangor, logistics-heavy industrial property in the Subang area, and high-demand commercial hubs across the Klang Valley including factory zones in Puchong and commercial property in KL.

JS-SEZ: A Cross-Border Growth Engine

The Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone, spanning more than 3,500 km², covers key areas such as Iskandar Malaysia, Pengerang and nine other flagship zones. The SEZ is designed to accelerate bilateral investment across 11 strategic sectors including:

• Digital economy

• Green economy

• Logistics and manufacturing

• Business services

• Energy

• Food security

• Financial services

• Tourism

Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) highlighted that the SEZ enables Singapore-based companies to establish “complementary operations” in Johor while benefiting from cost efficiencies and larger land availability.

Analysts meanwhile call the JS-SEZ a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for cross-border investors seeking scalable digital, industrial and commercial bases in Malaysia.

Johor Is Southeast Asia’s Fastest-Growing Data Centre Market

According to Knight Frank, Johor is now the fastest-growing data centre hub in Southeast Asia, with total supply—boosted by over 2GW of new project announcements—jumping to 5.8GW in the past year alone.

Economists note that the rapid expansion of the data centre ecosystem brings substantial spillover benefits, including:

• Stronger domestic supply chains

• New high-skilled job opportunities

• Upskilling of local talent

• Increased demand for surrounding commercial, industrial and residential assets

With Malaysia’s southern corridor evolving into a regional digital gateway, the JHB1 campus is expected to reinforce Johor’s appeal to global hyperscale operators, cloud providers and AI-focused enterprises.