Aware Super Invests $300M in Data Centre Business
Synopsis
Aware Super is increasing its exposure to fast-growing data centre markets in Asia, committing $300 million to Vantage Data Centres through a DigitalBridge-backed joint venture. The deal gives the Australian pension fund a minority stake in facilities across Australia, Japan and Malaysia, as demand for AI-driven computing continues to rise. The investment takes Aware’s digital infrastructure portfolio to about A$6 billion and offers access to some of the world’s fastest-growing population centres. The fund says it is targeting stable, resilient returns as part of its long-term infrastructure strategy.
Australian pension fund Aware Super commits $300 million for a minority stake in Skyline JV, which owns Vantage Data Centres APAC, boosting digital infrastructure exposure to $6 billion.
Aware Super is stepping deeper into the booming data centre sector, committing $300 million to Vantage Data Centres’ Asia-Pacific business through a DigitalBridge-led joint venture. The Sydney-based pension fund, which manages A$210 billion in assets, will take an indirect minority stake in a platform that operates more than 10 facilities across Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Announced on January 20, 2026, the deal pushes Aware’s digital infrastructure investments beyond A$6 billion, reflecting its growing bet on high-growth Asian markets as demand for AI and cloud computing continues to surge.
Vantage APAC Expansion Accelerates
Vantage is expanding rapidly across Asia as demand for data centres surges. In Malaysia, it is building a massive 436-megawatt campus known as KUL2, alongside the already operational 31-megawatt KUL1 facility. The company has also strengthened its footprint in Japan and Greater China through the acquisition of PCCW’s data centre assets. President Jeremy Deutsch said the latest investments reflect growing confidence in Vantage’s ability to deliver large-scale infrastructure for global technology companies. Backed by DigitalBridge and supported by global investors including SoftBank-linked entities, GIC and ADIA, Vantage aims to meet the growing computing needs of AI training in underserved Asian markets.
Pension Fund Digital Infra Strategy
Aware Super sees the Vantage investment as part of a broader bet on the global digital infrastructure boom. The Aware Super investment also strengthens its push into global digital infrastructure assets. Chief executive Mark Hector said the deal gives the pension fund greater exposure to fast-growing Asia-Pacific data centre markets, while building on earlier investments such as a $500 million co-investment in US operator Switch and stakes in Vocus, 2degrees and euNetworks. The fund’s infrastructure portfolio now tops A$6 billion, focused on assets that deliver stable, long-term cash flows. With existing ties to DigitalBridge and the scale to take minority positions, Aware Super believes it is well placed to back data centres that can attract long-term leases from hyperscale customers.
Market Dynamics Fuel Growth
As power constraints tighten in parts of the United States, hyperscale cloud companies are increasingly looking to Asia-Pacific markets with reliable energy and strong digital infrastructure. That shift has translated into stronger revenues for Vantage in 2025, as demand from AI- and cloud-focused customers continues to grow. For Aware Super, the investment fits neatly with this global trend, offering exposure to fast-growing data centre markets while spreading risk through a diversified joint venture structure at a time when capital costs are rising.
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