SoftBank Gets Boost From Intel Stake While Awaiting OpenAI IPO

SoftBank Group Corp.'s shares experienced a significant surge, reaching a record high in Tokyo trading, with a 4.6% increase on Monday. This growth pushed the company's market capitalization above ¥40 trillion ($252 billion), fueled by investor hopes for substantial returns from anticipated public listings of OpenAI and SB Energy Corp. This positive sentiment occurred even as some analysts expressed caution regarding SoftBank's financial strategies.

However, this upward momentum was tempered by news of a potential delay in OpenAI's initial public offering (IPO). SoftBank's stock subsequently fell by as much as 13% due to concerns that a delayed IPO for the ChatGPT maker would postpone financial returns for the Japanese conglomerate. SoftBank's investment in OpenAI is projected to reach approximately $65 billion by October.

Despite these fluctuations, SoftBank recently returned to profit, posting $19.8 billion in investment gains from OpenAI as of December. The company had invested around $34.6 billion in OpenAI and was in discussions to commit an additional $30 billion, aiming for a valuation between $750 billion and $830 billion, accumulating an 11% stake.

Looking ahead, SoftBank faces significant financial obligations, with $30 billion due in the second half of 2026. The company also manages a $40 billion bridging loan maturing in March 2027 and a $20 billion margin loan on its Arm stake. SoftBank's attempt to use its OpenAI holding as collateral for another loan has been hindered by lenders' increased caution regarding credit backed by private companies. SoftBank has committed over $60 billion to OpenAI and related AI infrastructure projects under Masayoshi Son's leadership.

In a separate development in August 2025, SoftBank agreed to invest $2 billion in Intel Corp. by purchasing new stock at $23 per share. This move, which was seen as a push to support a struggling U.S. chipmaker while advancing SoftBank's own chip ambitions, led to Intel's shares rising over 5% in after-hours trading, while SoftBank's stock fell by as much as 5.4%.