SoftBank secures $40 billion loan to double down on OpenAI

SoftBank Group has secured a $40 billion bridge loan to finance its ongoing bet on OpenAI. The loan, the largest dollar-denominated borrowing in SoftBank's history, was arranged by a consortium of major banks including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and MUFG Bank.

The 12-month unsecured loan matures in March 2027. SoftBank plans to use the bulk of the funds to finance a $30 billion follow-on investment in OpenAI through its Vision Fund 2.

With this investment, SoftBank's cumulative stake in OpenAI will rise to approximately 13 percent, representing a total investment of around $64.6 billion. This positions SoftBank as one of the most consequential strategic investors in OpenAI.

The company plans to repay the bridge loan in stages using existing assets and other financing measures.

The investment comes amid an intense global race to dominate AI infrastructure. OpenAI finds itself in a critical growth phase following the launch of the GPT-5 series and the expansion of its enterprise services.

For CIOs and decision-makers, this is a clear signal that major tech investors continue to bet massively on OpenAI as the dominant AI platform going forward.