Data Centers in Focus: Credit Considerations Across Asset Classes Webinar Recap

KBRA and Seelaus hosted a webinar on July 15 examining how artificial intelligence (AI)-driven demand is reshaping the financing and credit profile of U.S. data centers across project finance, asset-backed securities (ABS), and commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS). KBRA’s Chief Markets Strategist, Van Hesser, framed the discussion around the scale of the AI infrastructure buildout, noting that the financing need is “$7 trillion with a T” by 2030. The discussion highlighted that this funding requirement is expected to draw on multiple capital sources, including corporate balance sheets, project finance, ABS, CMBS, private credit, and other public and private debt channels.

KBRA panelists emphasized that the data center growth story is becoming increasingly credit-specific. Andrew Giudici, KBRA’s Global Head of Corporate, Project, and Infrastructure Finance, described KBRA’s project finance approach as “cash-flow driven,” with analysis focused on whether contracted revenues are…