# SoftBank plans to borrow over $11 billion in junk bonds for OpenAI stake

Digest AI · Business & Funding · published 2026-09-21T06:12:00Z · updated 2026-09-21T14:35:11Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/opinion-softbank-s-ai-strategy-relies-on-11b-debt-and-openai

## Summary

SoftBank announced it intends to raise more than $11 billion from investors through high‑interest junk bonds to fund an additional payment for its stake in OpenAI. The Financial Times, citing investor documents, says the bond issue will comprise $10 billion and €1 billion, with terms expected to be set on Thursday and the OpenAI payment due in October.

The Japanese conglomerate has already secured short‑term loans of up to $40 billion for OpenAI, and now seeks longer‑term debt, a move that could temporarily push SoftBank past its own debt ceiling. The FT reports OpenAI expects to burn nearly $280 billion in cash by the end of 2030, while SoftBank’s data‑center unit counts on OpenAI contracts for future revenue.

## Key points

- SoftBank plans to issue junk bonds totaling over $11 billion, including $10 billion and €1 billion, to fund its OpenAI stake.
- The bond terms are to be set Thursday, with payment to OpenAI due in October, according to the Financial Times.
- OpenAI projects cash burn of nearly $280 billion by end‑2030; SoftBank’s data‑center unit counts on OpenAI contracts for revenue.

## Why it matters

The financing underscores SoftBank’s deepening commitment to OpenAI and could strain its balance sheet, while OpenAI’s massive cash‑burn forecast highlights the scale of AI investment and may influence future capital markets.

## Sources

1. [SoftBank to borrow over $11 billion in risky bonds for OpenAI stake](https://the-decoder.com/softbank-to-borrow-over-11-billion-in-risky-bonds-for-openai-stake) (The Decoder, 2026-09-21)
2. [SoftBank And OpenAI: What's Happening So Far](https://seekingalpha.com/article/4948303-softbank-and-openai-whats-happening-so-far) (seekingalpha.com, 2026-09-21)

## Cite

Digest AI, "SoftBank plans to borrow over $11 billion in junk bonds for OpenAI stake", 21 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/opinion-softbank-s-ai-strategy-relies-on-11b-debt-and-openai

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