SoftBank Seeks $10 Billion Loan to Refinance OpenAI Stake

SoftBank Group is seeking a $10 billion loan to aid in refinancing debt related to its investment in OpenAI, according to a report by Bloomberg on August 28. The funds from the loan could be utilized to repay a $40 billion bridge loan SoftBank obtained for its OpenAI investments, stated the source. Additionally, SoftBank is reportedly planning a potential bond sale of up to $20 billion, as per the report.

Earlier this month, SoftBank acquired a $10 billion loan backed by its stake in OpenAI, as per the article. When queried by PYMNTS for comment, SoftBank did not respond promptly. In an earnings results presentation released on August 6, SoftBank disclosed that it has made $20 billion in follow-on investments in OpenAI during fiscal year 2026, with plans to finalize a third tranche on October 1.

This would elevate SoftBank's total investment in the AI startup to $64.6 billion, and its ownership stake to approximately 13%, as reported by PYMNTS.

In May, PYMNTS revealed that SoftBank's initial investment in OpenAI took place in 2024 when the AI startup was valued at $150 billion. By April, OpenAI's valuation had surged to an astonishing $852 billion. In December 2025, SoftBank announced a further $22.5 billion investment in OpenAI, which increased its ownership interest to 11% at the time.

SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son expressed his alignment with OpenAI's mission to ensure AGI benefits all of humanity in a press release. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also lauded SoftBank's early recognition of AI's potential and its global leadership in the release. Son predicted during an interview with CNBC in June that the AI revolution could be 50 times larger than the dot-com revolution, and that it represents the most significant technological shift in history.

SoftBank announced in June that it had launched an AI-powered cybersecurity solution to be offered in Japan through a joint venture with OpenAI called SB OAI Japan. SoftBank President and CEO Junichi Miyakawa stated during the press release that by leveraging expertise gained through OpenAI's cybersecurity technologies, they would tackle the increasingly sophisticated cyber threats targeting Japan's critical infrastructure.