BlackRock va placer 12 milliards de dollars en obligations pour financer le centre de données de Meta

BlackRock Inc. is seeking to raise more than $12 billion in bonds to help finance a data center campus for Meta Platforms Inc. in El Paso, Texas, according to individuals with knowledge of the transaction. The deal marks another step in a series of debt offerings aimed at supporting the massive investments by major technology firms in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The bonds will be issued by a holding company controlling 80% of BlackRock’s stake in Project Sopaipilla Holdings, the data center project led by Meta, which holds the remaining 20%. The issuer has engaged JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley to organize fixed-income investor meetings this Wednesday, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly. The pricing of the bonds is expected to be set early next week. In May, people close to the operation indicated that the financing could reach up to $13 billion. Funds managed by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and HPS Investment Partners hold the 80% of the project, both of which are part of BlackRock. Representatives from BlackRock, Meta, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley declined to comment. This latest financing follows a broader trend of debt issuances tied to global AI infrastructure developments this year. According to strategists at JPMorgan, this trend has increasingly influenced valuations within the tech sector. Major technology companies known as hyperscalers plan to allocate around $550 billion toward artificial intelligence by 2030, with much of that spending financed through capital markets. The new data center, capable of handling one gigawatt of power, is scheduled to come online in 2028 and is projected to create over 300 permanent jobs once completed, as previously announced by Meta. This expansion aligns with Meta's ongoing efforts to bolster its infrastructure capabilities in support of its AI ambitions. Previously, Meta used a joint venture structure to fund its largest data center, named Hyperion, located in a rural area of Louisiana. In 2025, the company partnered with Blue Owl Capital Inc., backed by $27 billion in debt contributed by asset managers including Pacific Investment Management Co. In that arrangement, Blue Owl held 80% of the joint venture while Meta retained the remaining 20%. This setup allowed Meta to keep the debt off its balance sheet, although the company maintained control over daily operations. However, Meta later expanded the Hyperion project beyond the initial scope outlined in the joint venture agreement. This month, the company announced that the data center would have a processing capacity of five gigawatts, pushing the estimated development cost to $50 billion. That additional expansion is solely under Meta’s control and does not fall under the joint venture framework. The growing reliance on debt financing for large-scale technological projects underscores the increasing financial demands of expanding AI infrastructure. As tech giants continue to invest heavily in these areas, the role of institutional investors and asset management firms becomes ever more critical in providing the necessary capital. With the upcoming bond offering, BlackRock and Meta are positioning themselves to meet these escalating costs while navigating the complex landscape of modern financial markets.