City Of London

Europe’s Trading Superhighway in the Alps Highlights Data Rush

Data centers are booming around the world — and location is all important.

The Data Center A building at the 200,000 square meter Aruba SpA Global Cloud Data Center in Ponte San Pietro, Bergamo, Italy.

Photographer: Francesca Volpi/Bloomberg
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Bomb-proof buildings, biometric security passes and financial trading at the speed of light. Welcome to data centers, a booming global industry that's hosting more of the world's money, entertainment and energy use than ever.

In the foothills of the Italian Alps, one of Europe’s newest data hubs is a prime example of how these boxy buildings have become cornerstones of the economy. Since June, Euronext NV has facilitated a quarter of European equities trading in the former textile town of Ponte San Pietro.