SoftBank secures $12B loan to fund massive OpenAI investment
SoftBank Group has secured an $11.87 billion loan to finance its continued investment in OpenAI, exceeding its initial $10 billion target by nearly 20%. This move is part of a broader strategy by the Japanese conglomerate, led by Masayoshi Son, to accumulate significant capital for AI without divesting other assets. As of early 2026, SoftBank has committed approximately $64.6 billion to OpenAI,…
Key points
- SoftBank secured an $11.87 billion loan to fund its OpenAI investment, exceeding the $10 billion target.
- SoftBank has committed $64.6 billion to OpenAI, holding a 13% stake after a $730 billion valuation round.
- The company plans to prepay $25.9 billion of its bridge loan by September 15 to manage debt.
The financing structure includes a recent $40 billion unsecured bridge loan, of which $30 billion was directed into a follow-on investment round that valued OpenAI at approximately $730 billion pre-money. That round totaled roughly $110 billion, marking one of the largest private funding events in history. Additionally, SoftBank took out a $10 billion margin loan backed by its OpenAI shares, with lenders including Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan.
To manage its debt stack, SoftBank plans to prepay $25.9 billion of its bridge loan balance by September 15. The company’s credit rating currently stands at BB+, one notch below investment grade. The margin loan includes valuation covenants, meaning a significant drop in OpenAI’s value could trigger forced repayment or selling. This aggressive financial maneuvering underscores SoftBank’s deep commitment to the generative AI ecosystem, including its role in the Stargate infrastructure initiative.
SoftBank secures $12B loan for OpenAI investment
bing.com · 12 September 2026
SoftBank secures $12B loan for OpenAI investment
SoftBank Group just took out an $11.87 billion loan to fund its investment in OpenAI, overshooting a previously reported $10 billion target by nearly 20%. The Japanese conglomerate, led by Masayoshi Son, continues to stack chips on the table in what has become one of the most aggressive corporate bets on artificial intelligence in history.
The loan is the latest in a string of financing maneuvers designed to let SoftBank pour capital into OpenAI without having to sell off other assets.
The $64.6 billion AI obsession
The company has committed approximately $64.6 billion to OpenAI as of early 2026, accumulating roughly a 13% ownership stake in the process.
The spending spree accelerated in March 2026, when SoftBank secured a $40 billion unsecured bridge loan. About $30 billion of that went directly into a follow-on investment in OpenAI as part of a broader funding round that valued the AI firm at approximately $730 billion pre-money.
That round totaled roughly $110 billion, making it one of the largest private funding events ever.
By August 2026, the company had added another layer: a $10 billion margin loan backed by its OpenAI shares, with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan among the lenders.
Managing the debt stack
By September 2026, the company announced plans to prepay $25.9 billion of the remaining balance on its bridge loan, scheduled for September 15.
SoftBank’s credit rating currently sits at BB+, which is one notch below investment grade.
The margin loan backed by OpenAI shares includes valuation covenants, meaning a significant decline in OpenAI’s assessed worth could trigger repayment obligations or forced selling at precisely the wrong moment.
Son’s track record and the Stargate factor
Masayoshi Son has a well-documented history of making concentrated bets on technology companies. Some have been spectacular successes, like the early Alibaba investment that turned $20 million into tens of billions. Others, like the Vision Fund’s backing of WeWork, became cautionary tales about the dangers of conviction untethered from fundamentals.
SoftBank’s involvement extends beyond just writing checks to OpenAI’s treasury. The company is also engaged in Stargate, a high-profile AI infrastructure initiative that further cements its role in the generative AI ecosystem.
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