SoftBank Liquidates $10.6 Billion in Assets to Fund OpenAI Commitment

SoftBank just sold the furniture to buy the future.

The Japanese investment giant is making its biggest AI bet yet—and it's not using spare change. To fund its massive commitment to OpenAI, SoftBank is reportedly liquidating a staggering $10.6 billion in existing assets. That's not a strategic pivot; that's a fire sale.

The Price of a Seat at the Table

Forget venture capital rounds. This is corporate finance on adrenaline. The move signals an all-in mentality on artificial intelligence, treating legacy holdings as expendable fuel for the new engine. It's a high-stakes gamble that redefines portfolio management—liquidating tangible assets to secure intangible, yet potentially limitless, intellectual property.

Capital Allocation or Capital Desperation?

The scale of the liquidation raises eyebrows. Unloading $10.6 billion worth of investments isn't a tweak; it's a tectonic shift in strategy. It begs the question: is this visionary foresight or a frantic chase for the next big thing after some very public stumbles? In finance, conviction is one thing; mortgaging the farm is another. Sometimes, the biggest bets are just the most expensive ways to admit you missed the first wave.

The market is watching. This isn't just an investment; it's a statement. And for $10.6 billion, you'd better hope the statement isn't 'we panicked.'

TLDR

• SoftBank is rushing to fulfill a $22.5 billion funding commitment to OpenAI before the year ends
• The company sold its entire $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia and offloaded $4.8 billion worth of T-Mobile shares
• CEO Masayoshi Son now requires personal approval for any Vision Fund deals exceeding $50 million
• SoftBank has $11.5 billion in undrawn margin loans available against its Arm Holdings ownership
• PayPay’s IPO was delayed but is expected in Q1 2026, with projections to raise over $20 billion

SoftBank Group Corp. is moving fast to meet its $22.5 billion funding promise to OpenAI. The deadline? End of this year.

SoftBank Group Corp., SFTBY

The Japanese tech giant has already made some major moves to free up cash. It completely sold off its $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia.

That’s not all. SoftBank also dumped $4.8 billion worth of T-Mobile shares.

The company has been trimming fat too. Vision Fund staff cuts are underway.

CEO Masayoshi Son is tightening the purse strings. He’s slowed down most other dealmaking at Vision Fund to almost nothing.

Any deal worth more than $50 million now needs Son’s personal stamp of approval. That’s a pretty dramatic shift in how the company operates.

But where else can SoftBank find the money it needs? The company has options on the table.

One big source sits in margin loans. SoftBank has $11.5 billion in undrawn capacity borrowed against its ownership in Arm Holdings.

Arm’s Rising Value Creates New Opportunities

Arm’s stock performance has been impressive. The chip designer’s shares have more than doubled since its IPO.

This surge in value gives SoftBank extra collateral headroom. More headroom means more borrowing capacity if needed.

The company has another potential cash generator lined up. PayPay, its payments app operator, is heading toward public markets.

The IPO was supposed to happen this month. But the U.S. government shutdown threw a wrench in those plans.

Now the PayPay IPO is pushed to Q1 2026. When it happens, it’s expected to raise more than $20 billion.

Portfolio Reshuffling Continues

SoftBank isn’t done selling yet. The company is looking to cash out some holdings in DiDi Global, the ride-hailing platform.

This aggressive portfolio reshuffling shows how serious SoftBank is about the OpenAI commitment. Son is putting his chips on artificial intelligence.

The company’s Vision Fund has been known for big, bold bets on tech companies. But right now, everything else takes a back seat to OpenAI.

SoftBank operates mainly through acquisitions and investments. It owns a 40% stake in a mobile and fixed broadband telecom operator in Japan.

The company also holds 90% of semiconductor chip designer Arm Holdings after that business went public in 2023. Its Vision Fund portfolio focuses on internet and e-commerce companies in early stages.

The OpenAI investment represents Son’s latest big swing at the future of technology. Whether this race to fund OpenAI by year-end pays off remains to be seen.