SoftBank Secures $40 Billion Loan to Fuel Massive $30 Billion OpenAI Expansion Investment

SoftBank Group Corp. finalized a massive $40 billion unsecured bridge facility on March 27, 2026. This financial maneuver is designed to support a $30 billion follow-on investment in OpenAI Group PBC, ensuring the Japanese conglomerate maintains its influential position in the artificial intelligence sector.

The facility involves a heavy-hitting consortium of lenders including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Japan's top three megabanks: Mizuho, SMBC, and MUFG Bank. With a maturity date set for March 2027, the loan provides immediate liquidity to fulfill the definitive agreement signed in February through SoftBank Vision Fund 2.

This funding is part of a historic $110 billion round for OpenAI, which valued the company at an eye-watering $840 billion post-money. SoftBank joins other tech titans like Nvidia and Amazon Web Services in this capital injection, pushing its cumulative investment in the ChatGPT creator to over $64 billion.

Upon completion, SoftBank is expected to hold an approximate 13% ownership stake in OpenAI. The deal comes at a time when OpenAI has reportedly surpassed $20 billion in annualized recurring revenue and boasts over 800 million weekly active users worldwide.

SoftBank plans to repay the bridge loan in stages using existing assets and various financing measures. Analysts suggest this may include further liquidation of the company's extensive portfolio or future bond issuances as it shifts its balance sheet toward AI-centric holdings.

The move aligns with the vision of Chairman Masayoshi Son, who has pivoted the firm toward Artificial Superintelligence. This strategy includes the massive Project Stargate initiative to build US AI infrastructure, likely utilizing SoftBank's majority-owned Arm Holdings for specialized chip design.