According to a CNA report citing Reuters, Meta is negotiating to lease data-center computing power to AI startup Anthropic in a deal potentially worth up to $10 billion over two years. Anthropic proposed the arrangement in June 2026; Meta says it is still evaluating, and Inside reports the tentative terms include monthly rental payments from Anthropic.
What's in the reported $10 billion Meta-Anthropic compute deal?
Meta Platforms is in talks to lease computing capacity to AI startup Anthropic, with the potential deal valued at up to $10 billion and running for two years, according to sources cited by CNA (Central News Agency) [Source-confirmed]. Reuters, cited by Taiwanese tech outlet Inside, reported the same contract value — "up to $10 billion" — for data-center compute resources [Source-confirmed].
Per CNA, Anthropic — which is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO) — first put forward the collaboration idea in June 2026, and Meta was still evaluating it as of the report date [Source-confirmed]. Inside's account adds more detail on structure: the arrangement was proposed by Anthropic in June, Meta has not yet confirmed feasibility, and under the preliminary plan Anthropic would pay Meta a monthly rental fee for the compute over the tentative two-year term [Source-confirmed].
| Detail | CNA report | Inside (via Reuters) |
|---|
| Deal value | Up to $10 billion | Up to $10 billion |
| Term | Two years | Two years (tentative) |
| Proposed by | Anthropic, June 2026 | Anthropic, June 2026 |
| Payment structure | Not specified | Monthly rental fee from Anthropic |
| Meta's status | Still evaluating | Still evaluating feasibility |
How has Anthropic pursued compute deals with other partners?
The Meta talks are not Anthropic's only compute-sourcing move this year. In May 2026, Anthropic reached an agreement with Elon Musk's SpaceX to use the entire computing capacity of the Colossus 1 data center in Memphis, Tennessee, according to CNA [Source-confirmed]. Inside's report describes the same event, specifying that Anthropic "signed a partnership agreement" with SpaceX in May 2026 to lease the full compute capacity of the Memphis, Tennessee facility [Source-confirmed].
Lined up on a timeline, Anthropic secured the SpaceX Colossus 1 capacity in May 2026, then proposed the separate Meta compute-leasing arrangement the following month, June 2026 — placing two large compute-sourcing moves roughly a month apart, based on the dates given in both reports.
What is Meta's strategy behind entering cloud computing?
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed the company's cloud ambitions at a shareholder meeting, saying that entering the cloud computing market is "absolutely on the table," and noting that companies approach Meta almost every week seeking access to its AI models or idle computing resources, per CNA [Source-confirmed]. Inside's report of the same shareholder meeting, held in May, quotes Zuckerberg saying cloud business development is "absolutely under consideration" and that a number of companies have proactively approached Meta wanting to lease its AI models or idle compute [Source-confirmed].
Separately, Bloomberg reported earlier in the same month (per CNA's account) that Meta is building a cloud computing business, with plans to sell excess compute externally and host AI models for developers [Source-confirmed].
How did markets react to the Meta-Anthropic negotiation news?
After news of the potential $10 billion, two-year leasing talks broke 1, Meta's stock decline reportedly narrowed somewhat, but shares still closed down more than 2% as tech stocks broadly weakened that day, with a slight further slide in after-hours trading, according to CNA [Source-confirmed].
What this means
The timeline laid out across both reports shows Meta's cloud ambitions predating the Anthropic talks: Zuckerberg's May shareholder-meeting comments that a cloud push was "absolutely on the table"/"absolutely under consideration" came before Bloomberg's report, cited by CNA, that Meta was building a cloud computing business to sell excess compute and host AI models for developers. The Anthropic negotiation, proposed in June and disclosed on July 18, fits within that same window. On Anthropic's side, the May SpaceX agreement for the full Colossus 1 capacity in Memphis and the June proposal to Meta show the company lining up compute from more than one large supplier within two months of each other. The stock market's response was mixed rather than clearly positive: CNA reports the leasing-talk news narrowed Meta's losses on the day, yet shares still ended down over 2% amid a broader tech-sector decline — meaning the deal talks did not offset the day's wider market pressure.