TikTok Halts Second Data Center Project in Ireland Amid Strategic Shift
TikTok has abandoned its plan for a second data center in Ireland, reallocating investments to other European capabilities. This decision, made in early 2026, reflects a reassessment of infrastructure development needs rather than a complete withdrawal from the European market.
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TikTok has ceased its plans to establish a second data center in Ireland, redirecting investments towards other initiatives in Europe. The company, a subsidiary of ByteDance, currently operates three data centers in Hamar, Norway, and is investing €1 billion in a new facility in Kouvola, Finland, expected to be operational by the end of 2026.
Despite the halt of the Irish expansion, TikTok confirms the ongoing operation of its first Irish data center, which remains part of its European data enclave under Project Clover. The decision to stop the Irish project was finalized in early 2026, terminating a plan initiated in 2021 for two data center facilities in Clondalkin, Dublin.
TikTok maintains that Ireland is crucial for its European operations and may explore future projects that align with its capacity requirements. This shift impacts Project Clover, originally budgeted at €12 billion, which included strategic data centers to address European privacy regulations. The decision follows a €550 million fine from the Irish Data Protection Commission for GDPR violations related to user data transfers to China.
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