UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d)

of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 24, 2018

DIGITAL REALTY TRUST, INC.

DIGITAL REALTY TRUST, L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(415) 738-6500

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

Digital Realty Trust, Inc.:  ☐

Digital Realty Trust, L.P.:  ☐

Introductory Note

Unless otherwise indicated or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this report to “we,” “us,” “our,” “our company,” “the company” or “Digital Realty” refer to Digital Realty Trust, Inc., together with its consolidated subsidiaries, including Digital Realty Trust, L.P., our “operating partnership.”

On September 24, 2018, Digital Realty entered into (a) forward sale agreements with each of Bank of America, N.A. and Citibank, N.A. (collectively, the “forward purchasers”), and (b) together with the operating partnership, an underwriting agreement with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (collectively, the “underwriters”), and the forward purchasers, relating to the forward issuance and sale of 9,775,000 shares of our common stock at a public offering price of $113.00 per share (the “offering”).

On September 27, 2018, the forward purchasers or their affiliates borrowed and sold an aggregate of 9,775,000 shares of our common stock to the underwriters in connection with the closing of the offering. We intend (subject to our right to elect cash or net share settlement subject to certain conditions) to deliver, upon physical settlement of the forward sale agreements on one or more dates specified by us occurring no later than September 27, 2019, an aggregate of 9,775,000 shares of our common stock to the forward purchasers in exchange for cash proceeds per share equal to the applicable forward sale price, which will be the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, subject to certain adjustments as provided in the forward sale agreements.

The shares were offered and sold under a prospectus supplement and related prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to our effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-220576 and 333-220576-01). Copies of the underwriting agreement and each forward sale agreement are attached as exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference. The summary set forth above is qualified in its entirety by reference to such exhibits.

In connection with the filing of the prospectus supplement, we are filing as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K an opinion of our counsel, Venable LLP, regarding certain Maryland law issues regarding our common stock.

(d) Exhibits.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrants have duly caused this report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: September 27, 2018