With 2026 just around the corner, there is no shortage of analyst forecasts predicting that AI will deliver tangible productivity and earnings gains in the year ahead, especially for the 493 companies that fall outside of the Magnificent Seven.
For that growth to materialize, however, AI applications have to be scaled across industries, which will depend heavily on the expansion of data centers and digital infrastructure.
While that expansion presents a compelling investment opportunity, attempting to pick the individual winners—whether companies involved in the design and installation of data centers or the utility companies that power them—can be a risky proposition.
But for investors keen on exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the backdrop of AI growth bodes well for the Global X Data Center & Digital Infrastructure ETF (NASDAQ: DTCR).
Data Centers and Digital Infrastructure Are in High Demand
There’s been no shortage of reporting on the explosive growth in the AI data center industry. But though this expansion is already underway, it’s just a drop in the bucket compared to what’s to come.
According to market consultancy firm Grand View Research, the global data center market is expected to undergo a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% from 2025 through 2030.
That suggests an industry valued at more than $347 billion at the end of 2024 will be worth an estimated $652 billion at the close of 2030.
The firm’s research highlights how the North American market holds a significant share at 40%, and that the software data center segment specifically is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12.5% during the forecast period.
Meanwhile, the global AI infrastructure market is forecast for a CAGR of 30.4% from 2024 through 2030. That would result in the industry’s market size increasing from more than $35 billion in 2023 to more than $223 billion at the end of 2030.
Importantly, according to Grand View Research, the AI infrastructure market in the United States accounted for the largest revenue share at nearly 89%, while Asia Pacific accounts for the fastest-growing region.
That’s promising news for the companies that comprise the Global X Data Center & Digital Infrastructure ETF’s portfolio, which sit at the intersection of those two burgeoning markets, nearly 68.9% of which operate in the United States, with another 17.3% operating in China and Taiwan.
An ETF That Provides Diversified Data Center Exposure
One thing to like about DTCR is that it’s a well-diversified fund. While its focus is AI data centers and AI infrastructure, its holdings are spread across numerous industries, which inherently lowers its risk exposure.
Nearly 41% of the ETF is allocated to companies operating in the real estate management and development space—specifically, some of the largest real estate investment trusts (REITs) in the industry. Nearly 27% is allocated to semiconductor companies, and 17% is allocated to IT service providers. Another 7% is earmarked for telecommunications and their services.
That’s resulted in a portfolio with attractive names, including REITs like:
- Equinix (NASDAQ: EQIX)
- Digital Reality Trust (NYSE: DLR)
- American Tower (NYSE: AMT)
- Crown Castle (NYSE: CCI)
Beyond its REIT holdings, DTCR also holds Applied Digital (NASDAQ: APLD), a designer, builder, and operator of high-performance computing and AI data centers as well as Taiwan-based Winbond Electronics—a designer and manufacturer of semiconductors and several types of integrated circuits.
Those holdings have produced strong returns in 2025. The fund, which is up more than 26% year-to-date (YTD), hit its all-time high of $22.65 on Oct. 27.
A sector-wide AI sell-off led to a 13% pullback, but DTCR has since rebounded more than 6% and remains on an upward trend.
Wall Street Is Bullish on DTCR
There are some liquidity concerns with DTCR, as the fund is comparatively small with assets under management of nearly $623 million. Average daily trading volume is just 278,437 shares.
And while institutional ownership is relatively light, those who do hold it have been buying far more than selling. Over the past 12 months, the ETF has seen inflows of $7.57 million compared to outflows of just $79,950.
Perhaps most telling is that the fund's current short interest is just 0.74% of the float, which marks a decrease of nearly 7% from the month prior.
Icing the cake, DTCR’s dividend yields 1.29%, or 27 cents per share annually at current prices.
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The article "Tap Into 2026 AI Infrastructure Gains With This High-Growth ETF" first appeared on MarketBeat.
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