SoftBank Acquires DigitalBridge for $4 Billion to Bolster AI Infrastructure

SoftBank Finalizes $4 Billion DigitalBridge Acquisition for AI Expansion

Tokyo-based conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. announced on Monday, December 29, 2025, its definitive agreement to acquire DigitalBridge Group, Inc., a leading global alternative asset manager specializing in digital infrastructure. The acquisition is valued at approximately $4 billion, marking a significant move by SoftBank to deepen its involvement in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Under the terms of the agreement, SoftBank will indirectly acquire all outstanding common stock of DigitalBridge for $16.00 per share in cash. This price represents a 15% premium over DigitalBridge's closing share price on December 26, 2025. The transaction has received unanimous recommendation from a special committee of DigitalBridge's Board of Directors and is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals.

DigitalBridge's Critical Role in AI Infrastructure

DigitalBridge manages approximately $108 billion in assets, encompassing vital digital infrastructure sectors such as:

• Data centers
• Cell towers
• Fiber networks
• Small cells
• Edge infrastructure

This extensive portfolio provides SoftBank with direct access to the physical systems essential for supporting the immense computing demands of advanced AI models and large-scale deployments. DigitalBridge will continue to operate independently under the leadership of its current CEO, Marc Ganzi, ensuring continuity in its specialized operations.

SoftBank's Vision for Artificial Super Intelligence

The acquisition aligns with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son's ambitious vision to position the company as a leader in 'Artificial Super Intelligence' (ASI) platform infrastructure. Son stated, 'As AI transforms industries worldwide, we need more compute, connectivity, power, and scalable infrastructure.' He added that DigitalBridge's expertise will 'strengthen the foundation for next-generation AI data centers' and advance SoftBank's goal of becoming a leading ASI platform provider.

This strategic investment follows SoftBank's recent sale of its entire Nvidia stake for $5.83 billion, redirecting capital towards AI infrastructure and other AI-related ventures. SoftBank is also a key player in 'Project Stargate,' a large-scale computing and infrastructure initiative aimed at supporting advanced AI development, alongside partners like OpenAI and Oracle. The integration of DigitalBridge's capabilities is expected to accelerate SoftBank's infrastructure build-out, solidifying its position at the forefront of the AI revolution.

Future Outlook

The acquisition underscores the growing importance of physical infrastructure in the burgeoning AI landscape. By integrating DigitalBridge's specialized assets and operational expertise, SoftBank aims to enhance its capacity to build, scale, and finance the foundational infrastructure required for the next generation of AI services and applications. This move is poised to significantly impact the global digital infrastructure market as companies race to meet the escalating demands of AI.