COMPANIES · DATA CENTERS

VNET

VNET (long known as 21Vianet) is a Beijing-based, carrier-neutral data center operator in China. It runs more than 50 data centers in over 30 cities, leasing large wholesale halls to internet and cloud companies and smaller retail cabinet space to other businesses.

InfrastructureData centers
What it does

VNET (long known as 21Vianet) is a Beijing-based, carrier-neutral data center operator in China. It runs more than 50 data centers in over 30 cities, leasing large wholesale halls to internet and cloud companies and smaller retail cabinet space to other businesses.

Why it matters

Its wholesale capacity in service passed 1 GW in 2026 and it reported a 345 MW wholesale order from a leading cloud provider in the second quarter. It also says it signed an agreement with Microsoft to operate Azure and Office 365 in China, a partnership its annual report says it must maintain.

How it makes money

Charges internet companies, cloud providers and enterprises for data center space, power and connectivity, mainly through wholesale and retail colocation contracts.

Geography

China (Beijing)

AI stack position

Data centers and physical infrastructure. The buildings, land, cooling systems, backup power and electrical equipment that physically house AI computing. Every AI model has to run somewhere — these companies build and operate the real-world facilities that make that possible.

Competitors

Connections (2)

Every connection below is tied to a readable source, date, classification and statement of its limits. A company source establishes what that company stated; it does not necessarily provide independent confirmation.

Current relationships (1)

VNET operates Microsoft cloud services in China in partnership with Microsoft
Partners withCurrent
In its annual report for 2025, VNET said failure to maintain its partnership with Microsoft may have a material and adverse effect on its operations.

Source: 2026-04-16 · reviewed 2026-09-26

Evidence: Primary-source statement · Reported operating

Limits: Establishes an ongoing partnership as described by VNET; does not establish its revenue contribution, contract terms, which VNET entity holds it, or any AI-specific capacity supplied to Microsoft.

VNET Group, Inc. Form 20-F for fiscal year 2025 ↗

Comparisons (1)

VNET competes with GDS
Competes withComparison only
Bamboo Works described GDS as a domestic peer of VNET among China's data center operators.

Source: 2026-05-19 · reviewed 2026-09-26

Evidence: Analytical comparison · Product/market overlap

Limits: Market overlap only; does not establish head-to-head competition for any specific customer or contract, or relative market share.

After years on the sidelines, VNET seizes on China's AI moment with new CATL tie-up (Bamboo Works) ↗
Evidence for this profile

VNET Reports Unaudited Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results ↗
Reviewed

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Inclusion in this database is not an endorsement of a company or its securities. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell anything, and none of it is individualized investment advice. See the disclosures. Data: AI Map v3.24, released .