Nvidia-backed Firmus signs deal with OpenAI for Malaysia data centre capacity

Australia's Firmus has announced a multi-year agreement with OpenAI to provide computing capacity from two Malaysian data centres. This deal positions OpenAI as a significant anchor customer as demand for infrastructure to run advanced AI models continues to surge. The agreement follows rumors of Firmus' upcoming initial public offering, which could be one of Australia's largest in recent years.

Firmus, which was valued at over $10.5 billion in its latest fundraising round backed by Nvidia, Jane Street, Blackstone funds, and Coatue Management, now has contracted capacity exceeding 900 megawatts (MW) across its customers. The firm's portfolio includes two operational AI data centres in Australia and Singapore, with five more under development across the Asia-Pacific region.

This deal underscores the fierce competition among U.S. and Chinese AI groups to secure power and data centre capacity for their increasingly sophisticated models. Malaysia has emerged as Southeast Asia's fastest-growing data centre market; however, its rapid expansion has sparked concerns over electricity and water consumption.

Firmus will roll out Nvidia's next-generation Vera Rubin processors in Asia-Pacific, with the inclusion of Malaysia expanding its regional footprint. Firmus declined to disclose the contract value, while OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters inquiry for comment.