Inside Alts: Data center boom sparks concerns

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  September 01, 2026 at 16:42  |  2:54  |  CNBC
Speakers
Marc Ganzi — CEO, DigitalBridge
Deirdre Bosa — Anchor/Reporter, CNBC Tech Check
Carl Quintanilla — Anchor, CNBC

Summary

Marc Ganzi, CEO of DigitalBridge, sees the data center market as toppy and late-1990s-like because leverage is rising to 70-80% LTV. He distinguishes safe investment-grade, long-term contracted operators from unrated operators using aggressive private financing. He also views the capital behind NVIDIA's $500 billion AI financing effort as priced to perfection.

  • Ganzi warns the data center market feels toppy and resembles the late 1990s.
  • Stretched loan-to-value ratios of 70-80% are a red flag versus typical 45% leverage.
  • Investment-grade data center tenants with long-term contracts are considered islands of safety.
  • Newer unrated operators using aggressive private structures are seen as the main risk.
  • NVIDIA's $500 billion alternative asset manager financing plan is called priced to perfection.
  • DigitalBridge has agreed to be sold to SoftBank for $4 billion.
Ideas
Marc Ganzi CEO, DigitalBridge 0:32
Data center market is toppy, overlevered.
Ganzi says the data center market is in a toppy, late-1990s-like moment because capital structures are getting stretched: while DigitalBridge typically runs about 45% loan-to-value, he is hearing operators levering businesses to 70-80% LTV, which makes him wary of a market climbing too high too fast.
Data center market HIGH
Marc Ganzi CEO, DigitalBridge 1:14
Investment-grade data center operators are safe.
Ganzi is not concerned about data center exposure backed by investment-grade tenants with long-term contracts, calling those 'islands of safety.'
Investment-grade data center operators MED
Marc Ganzi CEO, DigitalBridge 1:23
Unrated data center operators are risky.
His fear is concentrated in newer data center operators that have no credit ratings and are financing buildouts with aggressive private capital structures, making that segment fragile if financing conditions disappoint.
Unrated data center operators MED
Marc Ganzi CEO, DigitalBridge 1:43
NVIDIA financing plan priced to perfection.
Ganzi says the capital backing NVIDIA's $500 billion effort to provide chip financing through six alternative asset managers is priced to perfection, meaning everything has to work out well for it not to become a risk; this is the risky, lower-quality part of the AI financing boom rather than pristine balance-sheet exposure.
NVDA MED
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This CNBC video, published September 01, 2026, features Marc Ganzi discussing Data center market, Investment-grade data center operators, Unrated data center operators, NVDA. 4 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Marc Ganzi  · Tickers: Data center market, Investment-grade data center operators, Unrated data center operators, NVDA