SoftBank Invests $2 Billion in Intel Amid U.S. Government Stake Talks

SoftBank Group is acquiring a $2 billion equity stake in Intel, positioning itself as the sixth-largest investor in the struggling U.S. chipmaker. The Japanese conglomerate will pay $23 per share for Intel common stock, securing just under a 2% stake through a primary issuance. This MOVE comes as Bloomberg reports the U.S. government is negotiating a potential 10% stake in Intel, following President Trump's call for CEO Lip-Bu Tan's resignation over ties to Chinese firms.

The investment marks another major play in SoftBank's aggressive 2025 strategy, which includes a $30 billion commitment to ChatGPT Maker OpenAI. While neither company disclosed further details, the deal underscores growing institutional interest in semiconductor leaders during a period of geopolitical and technological upheaval.