BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Aligned Data Centers for approximately $40 billion. Aligned, which secured $12 billion in equity and debt financing earlier this year, aims to expand its data center capacity to 5GW. Currently, the company operates around 600MW of capacity, with an additional 700MW under construction and 78 data centers under management or development. Based on industry pricing, Aligned's annual revenue could reach $1.6 billion, potentially rising to $3.4 billion with the new capacity. This acquisition would significantly bolster BlackRock's infrastructure portfolio, aligning with the growing demand for data center capacity. The deal underscores the increasing value and strategic importance of data centers in the digital economy.