SoftBank Secures the Backbone of Artificial Intelligence with Landmark $4 Billion Acquisition of DigitalBridge

In a decisive move to dominate the physical infrastructure underpinning the global artificial intelligence revolution, SoftBank Group Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DigitalBridge Group, Inc. for approximately $4 billion. The deal, announced on Monday, represents a strategic pivot for billionaire founder Masayoshi Son, shifting the conglomerate’s focus from software investments toward the "hard assets" of the digital age. By absorbing one of the world’s most prolific managers of data centers, cell towers, and fiber networks, SoftBank is effectively securing the industrial plumbing required to realize its ambitious vision of Artificial Super Intelligence.

Under the terms of the agreement, SoftBank will purchase all outstanding shares of the Florida-based DigitalBridge for $16.00 per share in cash. This price reflects a 15% premium over the company’s recent closing price and a staggering 50% premium over its 52-week average prior to the initial rumors of the deal. Market reaction was immediate, with DigitalBridge shares surging nearly 10% in premarket trading as investors digested the implications of the merger. For SoftBank, the acquisition is less about immediate financial returns and more about vertical integration; it provides the Japanese giant with a seat at the table in the high-stakes race for "compute" and power the two most critical bottlenecks in AI development today.

The acquisition marks a coming-of-age for DigitalBridge, which transitioned from a real estate-focused firm known as Colony Capital into a digital infrastructure powerhouse under the leadership of CEO Marc Ganzi. Today, DigitalBridge manages an estimated $108 billion in assets, including high-profile platforms like Vantage Data Centers and Zayo. Following the close of the transaction, which is expected in the second half of 2026, the firm will continue to operate as an independent platform led by Ganzi. This operational autonomy is intended to preserve the specialized expertise that has made DigitalBridge a favorite among hyperscalers and cloud providers seeking to expand their physical footprints.

Masayoshi Son’s strategy has become increasingly clear throughout 2025 as he assembles a comprehensive AI "stack." Beyond this latest multibillion-dollar deal, SoftBank has recently acquired chip designers Ampere Computing and Graphcore, while committing upwards of $30 billion to OpenAI. By adding DigitalBridge to this portfolio, SoftBank now controls everything from the semiconductor intellectual property and the AI models themselves to the physical buildings and cooling systems where those models reside. In a statement following the announcement, Son emphasized that achieving Artificial Super Intelligence requires breakthroughs not just in code, but in the massive, scalable infrastructure needed to train and serve those models globally.

This transaction also places SoftBank at the heart of the "Stargate" project, a colossal $500 billion initiative alongside OpenAI and Oracle aimed at building next-generation computing sites across the United States. With the expertise of DigitalBridge, SoftBank gains a refined ability to originate, finance, and operate these massive energy-intensive sites. As the world moves toward an era of 24/7 AI-driven services, the ownership of data centers has evolved from a niche real estate play into a matter of national and technological sovereignty. SoftBank’s $4 billion bet ensures that as the AI tide rises, the firm will own the docks where the world’s most valuable data arrives.