SoftBank issues bonds to finance OpenAI worth more than $11 billion

Japan's SoftBank Group Corp. announced the start of sales of unsecured bonds in the amount of $10 billion and 1 billion euros ($1.15 billion) for investments in OpenAI, reports Reuters, citing a report of the holding.

Dollar bonds are divided by maturity into three types – three and a half years, five and a half years and seven and a half years. Euro-denominated bonds are divided into four-year and six-year bonds. The explanatory note states that the funds will be used for the third tranche of SoftBank investments in OpenAI, which may take place on October 1, as well as for corporate purposes.

According to LSEG, if completed at the planned volume, it would be the largest non-financial corporate bond transaction in the Asia-Pacific region in history. According to Dealogic, the deal will also be among the 20 largest corporate bond deals in the world this year.

SoftBank previously raised $10 billion for the same purpose. It is expected that the price of the bond issue will be set on September 24, and the repayment will take place on September 29.

Fitch has given the bonds a BB+ rating. SoftBank’s rising debt increases risks marginally as the company must maintain sufficient liquidity and access to capital markets, the notes said.

SoftBank Group Corp. He works in telecommunications, marketing and finance. It is the third largest mobile operator in Japan. It owns a majority stake in the fourth largest U.S. mobile operator Sprint Corporation and companies such as ARM Holdings, Boston Dynamics and Fortress Investment Group. In February 2025, SoftBank announced the creation of a joint venture with OpenAI SB OpenAI Japan, which will develop “expanded corporate AI”.

Ernest Philippowski