Bain-Backed Bridge Data Centres Plans Singapore Investment of Up to $3.9B

Bridge Data Centres plans to invest up to S$5 billion ($3.9 billion) in Singapore as the Bain Capital-backed hyperscale developer expands infrastructure for artificial intelligence workloads across Asia Pacific.

The investment will focus on developing AI-ready data centre capacity while strengthening partnerships with technology and energy providers serving next-generation computing demand, Bridge said Thursday in a release.

The news comes as global cloud operators race to secure capacity for generative AI and machine learning applications, which require greater power density than traditional data centre workloads. Bridge operates and builds hyperscale campuses across Malaysia, Thailand and India, with Singapore as its home base, and targets 2 gigawatts of APAC capacity by 2030.

“With Singapore serving as its global headquarters, BDC is uniquely positioned to support hyperscale customers and global technology companies seeking high-performance, sustainable and scalable data centre platforms across Asia Pacific, while enabling global technology companies to establish and expand their presence in Singapore as they develop AI and digital capabilities in the region,” said the company led by CEO Eric Fan.

Exploring Hydrogen and Nuclear 

As part of the Singapore initiative, Bridge is studying the development of a floating hydrogen power generation system to support the energy needs of high-density AI data centres. The project is being explored with Concord New Energy alongside research collaboration with Nanyang Technological University on hydrogen technologies for digital infrastructure.

The company is also working with Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research to evaluate the potential for nuclear power to serve as a long-term low-carbon energy source for data centre operations. Additional partnerships with firms including CATL, EcoCeres and SK Innovation are focused on alternative energy systems and next-generation storage technologies designed for large-scale digital infrastructure.

The expansion drive comes as Southeast Asia’s data centre pipeline continues to accelerate, with Malaysia emerging as one of the world’s fastest-growing hyperscale markets as operators seek capacity close to Singapore’s connectivity hub, where power constraints limit new supply.

Malaysia in 2025 saw the approval of MYR 255.5 billion ($64.7 billion) in data centre and cloud investments, according to Knight Frank. The Klang Valley surrounding Kuala Lumpur accounted for MYR 177 billion, making it the country’s largest digital cluster, while the southern hotspot of Johor recorded MYR 40.3 billion, almost entirely in hyperscale investments.

Bridge last month agreed to buy three plots near Kuala Lumpur from Malaysia’s IOI Properties Group for $188 million. The company has invested $2 billion in Malaysia, according to Fan.  

Beyond Southeast Asia

After its initial investment in Bridge in 2017, Boston-based Bain folded the Southeast Asian operator into a broader regional platform with Chinese hyperscale developer Chindata, which it bought in 2019. Bain later split the businesses as it repositioned its digital infrastructure strategy, selling the Chindata’s China operations to a local consortium last year while retaining Bridge as its primary Southeast Asia vehicle.

Bain is reportedly considering fresh backers for Bridge to help it raise cash and expand. Bridge said in January that it would close in on 700 megawatts of operating capacity at its existing hyperscale campuses in Malaysia and Thailand this year, with additional phases and infrastructure being built to meet rising AI-driven demand.

Last March, Bridge secured $2.8 billion in bank financing to grow its network, with some of the debt earmarked for expansion beyond Southeast Asia. Chief investment officer Kevin Guan told MTD TV in September that Bridge hoped to add “two or three more” countries to its portfolio beyond Malaysia, Thailand and India. 

In an interview earlier this year with the Wall Street Journal, Bridge’s chief executive revealed that the company was targeting expansion into the Middle East, Australia and Japan. Fan said Bridge was assessing opportunities and exploring partnerships with firms in the energy and infrastructure industries.