Investment · AI
SoftBank agrees to invest another $30 billion in OpenAI
- Investor
- SoftBank Group (Vision Fund 2) (Tokyo)
- In
- OpenAI, San Francisco, California
- Value
- $30.0B (about ¥4.67 trillion)
- Status
- Completed. All three $10B tranches were paid, on April 1, July 1 and October 1, 2026.
- Date
- 2026-02-27
SoftBank Group signed a deal to put a further $30 billion into OpenAI through Vision Fund 2, at a pre-money valuation of $730 billion. It receives preferred shares that convert to common stock if OpenAI lists. The money was paid in three equal tranches through October 2026, funded at first with bridge loans and, for the final payment, with proceeds of foreign-currency bonds.
Why it matters
The deal lifts SoftBank's total commitment to OpenAI to $64.6 billion for about 13% ownership, by far the largest Japanese bet on a US startup. It ties SoftBank's balance sheet even more closely to OpenAI's valuation and future IPO.
The deal
SoftBank signed the agreement on February 27, 2026, investing through Vision Fund 2. It buys preferred shares at a pre-money valuation of $730 billion, which turn into common stock if OpenAI lists. The $30 billion came in three $10 billion payments on April 1, July 1 and October 1, 2026. SoftBank was one of three anchors in a $110 billion round, alongside Amazon ($50 billion) and Nvidia ($30 billion), the largest private tech funding on record.
How SoftBank paid
SoftBank first lined up a $40 billion bridge facility on March 27, 2026. It later repaid the borrowings early and cancelled the last undrawn $10 billion. The final payment was funded with foreign-currency bonds sold in September 2026.
What it adds up to
Before this deal SoftBank had put $34.6 billion into OpenAI since September 2024, mostly in the 2025 round at a $300 billion valuation. With this follow-on its total reaches $64.6 billion for about 13% of the company. SoftBank books the stake at fair value each quarter, so OpenAI's valuation now swings its profits.
Sources
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