The colocation data center industry underpins much of today’s digital infrastructure, providing space, power, and connectivity for companies to house their IT equipment. In 2025, a handful of colocation providers dominate this global landscape, each operating dozens (or hundreds) of facilities across multiple continents. These companies have achieved massive scale through aggressive expansion and acquisitions, building out global footprints that span North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond. This comprehensive overview ranks the largest colocation services providers in the world (as of 2025) by the number of data centers and geographic reach. We compare their total data center counts, geographic coverage, overall data center space, highlighting recent expansions or acquisitions that have fueled their growth. Readers interested in infrastructure scale will gain insight into how these industry giants compare and how they are extending their reach to meet the exploding demand for data center capacity.
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Digital Realty is one of the heavyweight colocation providers and currently operates over 300 data centers across 25+ countries – spanning North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Australia. With this global reach, Digital Realty has the broadest geographic coverage among colocation firms on six continents. Its portfolio encompasses about 41 million square feet of data center space (with an additional 9+ million square feet under construction to meet future demand). This massive footprint serves 5,000+ customers, including cloud providers and enterprises, making Digital Realty a fundamental backbone of internet infrastructure.
Major acquisitions and expansions have fueled Digital Realty’s growth to industry leadership. In 2020, it acquired Europe’s Interxion for $8.4 billion, instantly broadening its European presence into over 100 facilities across key metros. In Latin America, Digital Realty partnered with Brookfield to take over Ascenty in Brazil (2018), establishing a dominant position in the Americas. The company has also pushed into emerging markets – for example, it formed a joint venture to build data centers in India (the first Digital Realty facility in Mumbai opened in 2023). Perhaps most notably, Digital Realty entered Africa by acquiring a majority stake in Teraco (South Africa) in 2022, making it the leading carrier-neutral colocation provider on the continent. With Teraco’s sites and earlier investments in Kenya and Nigeria, Digital Realty also boasts an African footprint. These expansions and organic builds in markets like Seoul (South Korea) and Toronto have cemented Digital Realty’s status as the largest global colocation provider by data center count and multi-region presence. Beyond scale, Digital Realty emphasizes sustainability in its facilities (integrating green technologies) and offers robust connectivity options after absorbing Interxion’s rich interconnection ecosystem.
Insight: Digital Realty’s strategy of strategic acquisitions (Interxion, Teraco, DuPont Fabros, Telxius sites, etc.), combined with greenfield developments, has created an unparalleled global platform. It's 300+ data centers in 50+ metros worldwide. Illustrate how colocation providers are consolidating to offer worldwide coverage, enabling customers to deploy infrastructure almost anywhere.
Equinix is often synonymous with colocation and interconnection, operating the largest global data center interconnection platform. In 2025, Equinix runs 260+ data centers across 33 countries on five continents, only slightly behind Digital Realty in site count but arguably ahead in global reach (Equinix has a presence in some regions that earlier entrants lacked, such as the Middle East and Africa). These sites span 71 major metropolitan areas worldwide, from North America and Europe to Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and recently, Africa. Equinix’s total data center footprint exceeds 31 million square feet of space, supporting a vast ecosystem of 10,000+ customers that rely on Equinix for colocation and direct interconnection between networks and clouds.
As a pioneer in retail colocation, Equinix has relentlessly expanded its global footprint through organic growth and acquisitions. In the past few years, Equinix made several notable moves: it acquired MainOne in early 2022, gaining data centers in Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire – a significant step into West Africa for Equinix. That same year, it also purchased several data centers in Chile and Peru from Entel, extending its Latin American reach. In Asia-Pacific, Equinix has entered new markets including India (via the acquisition of GPX India’s Mumbai facilities in 2020) and Southeast Asia. In 2024, Equinix announced expansions into Malaysia and Indonesia, and the acquisition of three data centers in the Philippines, marking its debut in the Philippines to capitalize on rapid growth in that region. This gave Equinix an unmatched presence in Southeast Asia (with operations in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Australia, etc.). Equinix has also invested in the Middle East, opening an interconnected hub in Muscat, Oman (through a partnership) to serve as a regional interconnection point. Earlier, Equinix’s acquisitions of Verizon’s data centers (2017) and the TelecityGroup (Europe, 2016) were transformational, significantly boosting its North American and European coverage.
Today, Equinix’s global Platform is truly comprehensive: data centers from Silicon Valley to Stockholm, São Paulo to Seoul are part of its network. A key differentiator is Equinix’s focus on dense interconnection – each IBX facility houses rich ecosystems of carriers, cloud providers, and enterprises, with over 480,000 interconnections directly linking customers. This makes Equinix especially attractive for latency-sensitive and network-heavy workloads. Equinix has also partnered with hyperscalers via its xScale program (joint ventures to build hyperscale data centers for cloud giants), further expanding capacity (over 300 MW of xScale capacity leased).
Insight: Equinix’s 260+ data centers in 33 countries underscore its position as the most globally pervasive colocation provider. The company’s recent push into Africa and Southeast Asia shows it continues seeking new markets even as the most prominent players. By knitting together global sites with consistent services and interconnection fabric, Equinix enables businesses to expand IT infrastructure worldwide with relative ease, leveraging the same provider across regions for reliable colocation and network connectivity.
NTT Global Data Centers (NTT GDC) – part of Japan’s NTT Group – is the world’s third-largest colocation provider by many measures. NTT operates over 160 data centers worldwide across more than 20 countries, serving a customer base of around 1,700+ clients. NTT’s data center network is truly multinational: it has a strong base in Asia-Pacific (with large campuses in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and India), a significant footprint in Europe (especially through its e-shelter facilities in Germany, London, Vienna, Zurich, and Madrid), and a growing presence in North America (via its purchase of RagingWire data centers in the US). While NTT’s exact total square footage isn’t publicly disclosed, the scale is immense. For instance, in the U.S. alone, NTT operates ~1.5 million sq ft across 7 campuses, and it continues to build mega-facilities (such as a 1.5 million sq ft campus underway in Phoenix, AZ). This places NTT GDC firmly among the top three global colocation providers regarding footprint and revenue.
NTT’s recent strategy has been aggressive expansion to meet surging demand (mainly driven by cloud and AI). The company announced a $10 billion+ investment through 2027 to expand its data center portfolio. In 2024 alone, NTT invested nearly $3 billion to grow capacity across North America, EMEA, and APAC. Key expansion projects include new data center campuses in Arizona (Mesa) – NTT acquired 102 acres of land in Mesa for a massive campus development – and Mumbai, India (where NTT is the market leader via its Netmagic division, now adding large campuses in Chennai and Delhi NCR as well). NTT also recently launched new facilities in London, Frankfurt, and Johannesburg, and is entering Vietnam (with a JV data center in Hanoi). Much of NTT’s growth in the last decade came from acquisitions: it consolidated e-shelter (Germany) and Gyron (UK) under its umbrella in 2015–2018, fully acquired RagingWire in the U.S. by 2019, and folded these and other regional units into the single Global Data Centers division. By uniting its various country operations, NTT can offer global clients a consistent service and high performance standards. NTT emphasizes high performance and compliance – many sites adhere to strict certifications (like ISO 27001, and even government-grade security standards) to cater to enterprise and federal customers.
Insight: NTT’s 160+ data center portfolio illustrates the rise of telecom-backed providers in the global colocation arena. While slightly less ubiquitous in the Americas than Equinix or Digital, NTT has a commanding presence in Asia-Pacific and Europe, and is rapidly scaling in the U.S. The company’s pledge of >20% annual growth in capacity and multi-billion dollar investments signals that it aims to keep pace with (or even overtake) the Western rivals. NTT’s globally standardized Tier III+ facilities provide a trusted option for enterprises with critical compliance or performance needs across key regions.
CyrusOne is a leading colocation company that historically specialized in large-footprint wholesale data centers for enterprise and cloud customers. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, CyrusOne operates over 50 data centers across the United States and Europe, serving approximately 1,000 customers. Its portfolio includes massive campuses in cities like Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Northern Virginia, London, and Frankfurt. As of 2024, CyrusOne’s footprint exceeded 4 million square feet of data center space (with around 55 facilities worldwide). While North America (primarily Texas and Virginia) remains its core, CyrusOne has recently made a concerted push into Europe and Asia. The company’s data centers are known for supporting very high power densities and providing scalable space tailored to large enterprise IT and cloud deployments.
In 2022, CyrusOne was the target of a major acquisition – it was taken private by investment firms KKR and GIP in a $15 billion deal. This influx of capital has since fueled CyrusOne’s global expansion. CyrusOne has expanded into key European markets: it established big data centers in London (Slough), Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and recently launched new sites in Madrid, Spain and Paris, France. These European facilities have added dozens of megawatts to serve both cloud providers and multinational enterprises. In addition, CyrusOne signaled an entry into Asia-Pacific – in late 2023, the company broke ground on its first Asian data center in Osaka, Japan (through a joint venture, marking CyrusOne’s debut in the APAC region). This expansion to Japan follows the industry trend of U.S. colo firms entering Asia to serve global client needs. CyrusOne’s focus is on “scalable enterprise solutions,” and it continues to build large new capacity; for example, it is developing additional huge campuses in Northern Virginia and Phoenix to cater to hyperscale cloud demand. Despite being slightly smaller in site count than some competitors, CyrusOne’s facilities tend to be very large – the company’s global portfolio offers 400+ MW of capacity and it is even launching an AI-focused data center solution (branded “Intelliscale”) to support high-density AI workloads.
Insight: CyrusOne’s evolution from a U.S.-centric REIT to a globally expanding private colocation provider reflects the ongoing globalization of the data center industry. With 50+ data centers now spanning two (soon three) continents, CyrusOne is leveraging new ownership to chase growth outside its home market. Its story illustrates how demand for hyperscale and enterprise colocation pushes providers to invest in new regions – and how private equity sees value in data center infrastructure. As CyrusOne expands into Asia and Europe, it is positioning itself to compete head-on with Equinix, Digital Realty and NTT worldwide.
Telehouse, a subsidiary of Japan’s KDDI, is one of the earliest colocation brands and today operates over 40 data centers globally. Telehouse is primarily known for its presence in Europe and Asia: it has flagship campus sites in London (Docklands) and Paris, along with facilities in New York, Frankfurt, Moscow, and across several Asian cities (including Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Hanoi, Bangkok, Hong Kong and others). With 30+ years of experience in colocation, Telehouse has been a trusted carrier-neutral hub for internet exchanges and enterprise colo, particularly in the European market. The company’s global customer base is around 3,000 clients, ranging from financial services to telecom carriers.
In recent years, Telehouse has continued to grow its key hubs. In 2022, Telehouse opened a major new facility in London’s Docklands (“Telehouse South”) to expand capacity at one of Europe’s busiest connectivity hubs. This addition of 31,000 square meters increased Telehouse London’s total footprint significantly, reinforcing its status as the linchpin of UK internet traffic. In Asia, KDDI/Telehouse has also been investing. For example, Telehouse Bangkok opened in 2023, marking the brand’s entry into Thailand, and new data halls were added in Telehouse Vietnam (Hanoi) to meet regional demand. Telehouse’s approach often leverages KDDI’s telecom infrastructure and global network, providing reliable connectivity between its sites. While smaller in total scale than the likes of Equinix or NTT, Telehouse maintains a strategic global footprint: it is present in Europe (UK, France, Germany, Russia), Asia (Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, China/Hong Kong), as well as North America (two sites in New York City area and Los Angeles). Notably, Telehouse was one of the first to establish a data center in Moscow (though that facility’s status in 2023–2024 may be in flux given geopolitical events).
Insight: Telehouse demonstrates that longevity and strategic location can create a strong niche even among giants. Its 40+ data centers worldwide serve critical exchange points (London, Paris, New York) and connect to KDDI’s extensive network. Recent expansions in London and Bangkok show Telehouse focusing on high-demand markets. Though not the largest by sheer size, Telehouse’s globally distributed sites and reputation for reliability keep it a key player, especially for customers in Europe-Asia corridors. It underscores that beyond the “big three,” specialized global colocation providers are anchoring critical regional markets.
In addition to the top-ranked companies above, several other colocation providers contribute significantly to the global data center landscape:
Iron Mountain Data Centers: Iron Mountain (known for secure storage) operates 18 data centers worldwide with a focus on security and compliance. It has expanded through acquisitions in recent years – for example, acquiring large facilities in London and Frankfurt and a stake in India’s Web Werks – growing its presence across the U.S., Europe, and Asia (India). Iron Mountain’s sites appeal to firms needing ultra-secure and compliant environments (including underground data vaults in some locations).
Global Switch: A London-headquartered provider with huge carrier-neutral data centers in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Global Switch has around a dozen big facilities (London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Madrid, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney, etc.). While its site count (~12) is smaller, each campus is very large. The company is now majority Chinese-owned and has been expanding in Hong Kong and Sydney. Global Switch’s global footprint (Europe + APAC) makes it notable, though it lacks presence in the Americas.
ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC): A rapidly growing Singapore-based player, STT GDC operates a network of data centers across Asia (Singapore, India, Thailand, Indonesia, China) and Europe (UK). Through acquisitions like the UK’s Virtus Data Centres, STT GDC has a portfolio of around 140+ MW across ~20 facilities. It’s not in North America yet, but is a major operator in Asia and an example of global investment (backed by Temasek) in the colocation space.
EdgeConneX: Known for its edge and hyperscale data centers, EdgeConneX has built over 50 facilities in 40+ markets across 5 continents. It started with smaller edge sites in secondary U.S. cities and has since expanded internationally (with large campuses in Amsterdam, Dublin, and ventures in India and South America). By 2025, EdgeConneX has a global footprint of 80+ data centers (operational or in development) spanning North America, Europe, South America, and Asia-Pacific. This privately-held company (backed by EQT) is noteworthy for its strategy of placing data centers “where customers need them,” including emerging edge locations.
Vantage Data Centers: Vantage specializes in hyperscale campus development. It has 35 campuses across five continents (North America, EMEA, Asia-Pacific) in various stages of operation or construction. Known for massive builds (100+ MW campuses), Vantage expanded from the U.S. to Europe (acquiring Next Generation Data in Wales and Etix Everywhere) and to Asia (acquiring Agile Data Centers and PCCW’s facilities). By 2025, Vantage has a planned and existing global capacity exceeding 2.6 GW of IT load. While its individual data center count isn’t always reported, its worldwide reach and capacity make it a top wholesale provider to watch.
American Tower (CoreSite): American Tower, a telecom tower REIT, entered the colocation market by acquiring CoreSite in 2021. CoreSite operates 28 data centers across 8 U.S. metro areas, offering high-connectivity campuses (especially in Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, and the U.S. East Coast). While purely domestic, the backing of American Tower (which has a global telecom infrastructure presence) hints at potential future international colo expansions or edge data center deployments.
QTS Data Centers: QTS, now owned by Blackstone, has a mix of large hybrid colocation campuses in the U.S. (Atlanta, Dallas, Ashburn, etc.) and a growing presence in Europe (a Netherlands site and a new campus in Heseltine, Germany). It has roughly 20+ data centers. Its focus on mega-scale and hybrid colocation solutions for hyperscalers and enterprises keeps it among the significant players in North America.
China Telecom/China Mobile: China’s telecom carriers, while not traditionally counted among international colo providers, operate an enormous number of data centers domestically. For example, China Telecom alone operates over 450 on-net data centers in mainland China (though many are telecom exchange buildings) and has a footprint in 180+ data centers globally through partnerships and international branches. China Mobile and China Unicom run hundreds of facilities across China’s provinces. However, their global colocation presence is limited mainly to Hong Kong and a few overseas locations for Chinese corporate clients. These state-owned giants are among the largest in sheer scale (by floor space and number of sites) but serve predominantly regional needs. As of 2025, we may see them gradually increase engagement with the broader colocation market (e.g., China Mobile International has opened data centers in Europe), but they remain a somewhat separate category.
Each provider (and others not detailed here) contributes to a highly competitive colocation landscape. The top ten colocation companies account for a substantial share of the world’s multi-tenant data center capacity, but regional specialists and new entrants also continue to emerge.
The largest colocation providers in 2025 have achieved a global scale that would have been hard to imagine a decade ago. Leaders like Digital Realty and Equinix each span dozens of countries and manage fleets of hundreds of data centers, effectively making digital infrastructure available in any major economy. This global reach is increasingly critical as businesses demand low-latency access to cloud services and end-users worldwide. The comparison above shows that while Digital Realty, Equinix, and NTT lead in total footprint, other players like CyrusOne, Telehouse and more are expanding aggressively to carve out their global market share.
A key trend driving this scale is consolidation – many top providers grew by acquiring competitors or merging with regional players, leading to a concentration of data center assets under a few large banners. Another trend is strategic geographic expansion: providers enter new markets (often emerging economies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America) to support customer growth and capitalize on underserved demand. Notable is the push to serve hyperscale cloud and content companies, which require massive facilities in multiple regions – colocation firms have responded by building bigger data centers (hundreds of MW) and even partnering with those cloud giants (e.g., Equinix’s xScale JV) to secure their business.
In 2025, the competition among colocation behemoths also hinges on differentiators like connectivity ecosystems, sustainability, and value-added services. Equinix, for instance, leverages its dense interconnection fabric, while Digital Realty touts sustainable energy and its interconnection platform (ServiceExchange). NTT emphasizes high security and integration of end-to-end IT services. These facets are increasingly crucial as enterprise IT decentralizes into hybrid cloud setups distributed across many colocation sites.
The takeaway is clear for readers interested in infrastructure scale: Colocation has become a globally scaled industry akin to cloud providers' global operations. The top providers here collectively operate on millions of square feet and gigawatts of power, supporting the digital economy. As cloud, 5G, and now AI workloads drive ever more demand, we can expect further expansion and possibly new challengers (or consolidation of existing ones). But for now, the companies profiled above represent the backbone of the world’s digital infrastructure, each with an extensive network of data centers that keep the internet and cloud services running virtually everywhere.