SoftBank Finalizes $22.5 Billion Payment for OpenAI Investment Amid Restructuring
SoftBank Group has approved a second tranche of $22.5 billion to complete its $30 billion investment in OpenAI, contingent on the AI firm's restructuring into a for-profit Public Benefit Corporation by late 2025. The deal forms part of a broader $41 billion funding round that privately values OpenAI at approximately $500 billion.
OpenAI's revenue surge—from $3.7 billion in 2024 to an annualized $12 billion by mid-2025—underscores the commercial traction of its ChatGPT platform. Should the restructuring fail, SoftBank's commitment drops to $20 billion, reflecting the high-stakes nature of the agreement.
Parallel to this move, SoftBank is securing additional capital through a $5 billion loan backed by Arm Holdings shares and a $2.9 billion bond sale, signaling aggressive doubling down on AI infrastructure bets.