The 8th Data Center (IDC) at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park. (Photo: VGP)

According to assessments, the above figures mark one of the strongest half-year periods of growth on record, as hyperscale data center operators, cloud service providers and AI platforms accelerate infrastructure investment across the region.

The “APAC Data Centre H1 2026 Update” report by Cushman & Wakefield (NYSE: CWK), one of the world’s largest real estate services companies, with more than 350 offices across nearly 60 countries, including Vietnam, shows that total future supply currently comprises 4.8GW under construction and 21.7GW in the planning stage. At the same time, approximately 1.4GW of new operational capacity has been brought online across APAC, demonstrating the market’s ability to deliver large-scale supply to meet rapidly growing demand for digital infrastructure.

Despite the significant addition of new supply, the vacancy rate for colocation data centers fell from 10.9% in the second half of 2025 to 10.3% in the first half of 2026. This reflects strong absorption in key markets as well as stable leasing demand amid continued capacity expansion.

Commenting on the situation, Andrew Green, Head of Asia-Pacific Data Centers at Cushman & Wakefield, said investment in AI and cloud computing across the Asia-Pacific region has entered a period of strong acceleration, but is constrained by access to power.

“The challenge increasingly lies in securing the power infrastructure needed to support the next generation of AI workloads. Previously, data centers tended to be concentrated in areas with strong connectivity, but we are now seeing an expansion wave moving toward markets capable of supplying power at scale. This is creating new growth corridors across the region and driving investment beyond traditional data center hubs,” Andrew Green said.

According to the report, Southeast Asia continues to account for the largest share of total data center capacity under construction in APAC, representing approximately 50% of the region’s total capacity. Malaysia leads with 1,039 megawatts (MW) under construction, followed by Thailand with 859MW. Strong leasing demand, supportive government policies and continued capital flows into digital infrastructure have reinforced Southeast Asia’s role as a key growth driver for the Asia-Pacific data center industry.

At the same time, Vietnam is attracting growing interest from hyperscale, cloud computing and AI operators. In Ho Chi Minh City, future supply reached 68MW in the first half of 2026, supported by a series of major investment announcements, including a US$1 billion framework agreement between G42, FPT Corporation and Viet Thai Group, as well as a proposed US$2 billion hyperscale AI data center project. Much of the region’s growth momentum is concentrated in Johor, Malaysia, and Bangkok, Thailand. Capacity under construction in Johor nearly doubled to 602MW in the first half of 2026, while Bangkok recorded one of the fastest expansion rates in APAC, with capacity under construction rising 148% to 859MW.

Notably, Vietnam is also gradually strengthening its position in the region’s digital infrastructure ecosystem through policy reforms, increased foreign investment and improved connectivity through projects such as the MViSTA submarine fiber-optic cable, which connects Vietnam with Singapore, Johor and Thailand.

Alongside capacity growth, the report also shows that data center development strategies across Asia-Pacific are changing. As infrastructure requirements become increasingly complex, developers are placing greater emphasis on speed to market, operational efficiency, sustainability and long-term scalability.

Addressing this issue, Pritesh Swamy, Head of Research and Consulting for Cushman & Wakefield’s Asia-Pacific Data Center Group, said: “We are seeing developers move beyond traditional data center design models as infrastructure requirements become increasingly demanding.”

Accordingly, in most markets, speed to market is becoming a decisive factor. Modular construction methods and advanced cooling technologies are helping operators optimize existing infrastructure while shortening deployment timelines. As computing densities continue to rise, operators are also placing greater emphasis on resource efficiency and long-term sustainability, including how power and water resources are managed as infrastructure expands.

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