ByteDance to Build Largest Foreign Data Center in Brazil's Ceará

Chinese internet firm ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, is constructing a megadata center in the Pecém complex of Ceará, Brazil. The first phase will have a 200‑megawatt power capacity, with plans to expand to 1 gigawatt, and is slated to begin operations by the end of 2027. The project is being built by Brazilian contractor Omnia and will house servers for artificial‑intelligence processing and large‑scale data storage.

Brazil’s renewable‑energy mix, strategic submarine‑cable links to North America, Europe and Africa, and a free‑trade zone in Ceará have made the country attractive for Chinese digital‑infrastructure investors. The development joins other Chinese outreach, such as Alibaba’s interest in AI data centers in São Paulo, and has sparked debate over digital sovereignty and indigenous protests over potential environmental impacts.