China-linked socialist NGO has derailed $23.6 billion in US data center projects, report finds
A single nonprofit network with alleged links to China’s Communist Party has managed to block or delay $23.6 billion worth of AI data center projects across the United States. It’s roughly the GDP of Iceland, tied up in red tape and local moratoria.
The findings come from a June 2026 report by the Bitcoin Policy Institute, which traced 21 anti-data-center campaigns across 14 states back to the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and its connections to tech entrepreneur-turned-activist Neville Roy Singham. The campaigns have resulted in 10 temporary moratoria, one permanent ban, and four projects either rejected outright or withdrawn by developers.
The playbook and its biggest targets
Two casualties stand out. A $12 billion Blackstone-backed AI campus in Wisconsin was blocked. A $5 billion facility in Maryland met the same fate. Together, those two projects alone account for more than $17 billion of the total delayed investment.
According to the BPI report, Singham has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into left-wing organizing over the past several years. His financial capacity traces back to 2017, when he sold his software consulting firm Thoughtworks for approximately $785 million. Since then, he has built an extensive nonprofit network that the report alleges has produced anti-AI content closely aligned with narratives pushed by Chinese state media.
The BPI report specifically flags amplification of anti-data-center messaging through Chinese state media outlets, suggesting coordination rather than coincidence.
Congressional response and foreign influence concerns
The report has triggered a bipartisan reaction in Washington. House Republicans launched inquiries in June 2026 demanding investigations into China’s potential influence over US AI infrastructure development. Senator Tom Cotton has also called for a thorough examination of how foreign-funded ideological campaigns are manifesting as local opposition to critical technology projects.
Singham himself has already faced congressional scrutiny. Previous inquiries have examined his links to the CCP, and the BPI report adds a new dimension by connecting his nonprofit network to tangible economic consequences.
What this means for crypto and AI investors
Data centers are the physical backbone of both AI and crypto mining operations. When local jurisdictions impose moratoria on data center construction, the restrictions don’t distinguish between AI workloads and Bitcoin mining rigs.
The $23.6 billion in blocked projects represents stranded demand. Investors in publicly traded data center REITs, AI infrastructure companies, and crypto mining firms should be tracking this closely, as states that streamline permitting could see an outsized share of future investment, creating geographic winners and losers in the compute infrastructure race.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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