DE-CIX has reported a significant increase in global data traffic for the year 2025. This year, a record-breaking 79 exabytes (EB) of data were exchanged across its international platforms, showcasing a 16% surge from 2024 and more than double the figures from 2020.
The data traffic boom in 2025 has set a new standard in the digital landscape. To put this into perspective, the amount of data transferred is equivalent to streaming a full HD football match non-stop for a mind-blowing 2.2 million years. In Frankfurt, Germany, home to Europe’s largest Internet Exchange, data traffic soared by 6% to reach 48 EB, marking a 65% increase compared to 2021.
The pinnacle of data traffic in 2025 coincided with a thrilling UEFA Champions League match on December 9th, which featured prominent teams like Barcelona and Liverpool. The global data throughput peaked at an astonishing 26.99 terabits per second, emphasizing the growing reliance on digital infrastructure during major sporting events. DE-CIX Frankfurt also reached impressive levels of 18.73 Tbit/s.
DE-CIX CEO, Ivo Ivanov, explains, “The surge in global data traffic is fueled by streaming services, AI workloads, the proliferation of connected devices, and the increasing adoption of remote and hybrid work models worldwide.”
Not restricted to Europe, DE-CIX is expanding its digital footprint across other continents as well. In North America, data traffic surged to 11 exabytes, reflecting a substantial 46% increase from the previous year. Cities like New York, Dallas, and Chicago witnessed notable growth, mirroring the broader trend of enhanced connectivity across regions.
The growth trajectory continues in other parts of the world. In Madrid and Dubai, data traffic soared to 2.7 EB in 2025, while Lisbon saw an exchange of 115 PB. Istanbul, Turkey experienced a 28% rise to 927 PB, while Southeast Asia’s DE-CIX platform witnessed a remarkable 140% growth, reaching 1.2 exabytes. New operations in Mexico City/Queretaro and Sao Paulo also made significant contributions, achieving notable data traffic milestones within the initial months of operation.
DE-CIX’s expanding statistics underscore the escalating demand for robust digital infrastructure on a global scale. This growth emphasizes the growing necessity for high-capacity systems to sustain the increasing global data traffic.
