SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge Group, a leading global digital infrastructure investment firm, in an all-cash transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $4 billion.
The deal, announced Monday, represents a major escalation in founder Masayoshi Son’s aggressive push to dominate the physical backbone of artificial intelligence, securing critical data center capacity, connectivity, and power assets essential for next-generation AI scaling. Under the terms, SoftBank will pay $16 per share for all outstanding common stock of DigitalBridge—a 15% premium to Friday’s closing price and a 50-65% premium to pre-rumor levels earlier in December.
The acquisition values the equity at about $2.92-3 billion, with closure expected in the second half of 2026 pending regulatory approvals. DigitalBridge shares surged 9.7% to $15.27 in Monday trading, building on a 45% rally earlier this month after initial reports of talks. The stock approached but remained slightly below the offer price, reflecting anticipation of deal completion.
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As AI transforms industries worldwide, the need for more compute, connectivity, power, and scalable infrastructure, grows. DigitalBridge is a leader in digital infrastructure, and this acquisition is expected to strengthen the foundation for next-generation AI data centers, advance Softbank’s vision to become a leading Artificial Super Intelligence platform provider, and help unlock breakthroughs that move humanity forward.
DigitalBridge CEO Jacob Yahiayani noted that the buildout of AI infrastructure represents one of the most significant investment opportunities of our generation. SoftBank’s vision, capital strength, and global network are expected to allow DigitalBridge to accelerate its mission with greater flexibility, invest with a longer-term horizon on behalf of our investors, and better serve the world’s leading technology companies as they scale their AI ambitions.
Post-closing, DigitalBridge will operate as a separately managed platform under Ganzi’s leadership, preserving its operational independence while integrating into SoftBank’s ecosystem. DigitalBridge, founded in 1991 as real estate-focused Colony Capital and rebranded in 2021 after a pivot under Ganzi, manages $108 billion in assets as of September 30, 2025. Its portfolio spans data centers, fiber networks, cell towers, small cells, and edge infrastructure across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East—making it one of the largest dedicated digital infrastructure investors globally.
The acquisition directly enhances SoftBank’s involvement in the Stargate project, a $500 billion AI infrastructure initiative with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX. DigitalBridge participates in Stargate, including Vantage’s near-gigawatt Wisconsin campus. Recent expansions brought Stargate to nearly 7 gigawatts of planned capacity across sites in Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, and the Midwest, with over $400 billion committed—putting the venture ahead of schedule toward its 10-gigawatt U.S. goal by year-end.
Son’s 2025 AI strategy has been relentless: SoftBank committed up to $30 billion to OpenAI (including syndicated portions), liquidated its $5.8 billion Nvidia stake to fund commitments, and pursued aggressive financing. The DigitalBridge deal follows Son’s public assertions of pursuing Artificial Super Intelligence, dismissing bubble concerns while predicting AI will generate at least 10% of global GDP.
Market reactions were positive in thin holiday volume: SoftBank shares edged higher, while analysts praised the strategic fit for securing scarce AI-enabling assets amid hyperscaler demand. The move positions SoftBank to control more of the “picks and shovels” in AI—namely, data centers, power, and networks—complementing its investments in Arm, OpenAI, and robotics.
