SoftBank acquires DigitalBridge for $4 billion to secure critical AI data center infrastructure
13 Sources
[1]
SoftBank stakes $4B on securing AI data center power and capacity -- DigitalBridge purchase indicative of AI industry's increasing investments in energy supply
SoftBank agrees to acquire DigitalBridge in a $4 billion transaction as it moves to secure data center capacity for large-scale AI compute. SoftBank has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge in a deal valuing the digital infrastructure investor at roughly $4 billion, including debt. The transaction, if
[2]
AI Has Fueled $70 Billion in Data Center M&A Talks This Year
SoftBank's billionaire founder, Masayoshi Son, aims to capitalize on soaring demand for digital infrastructure, driven by the AI boom, and the deal will bring to SoftBank relationships with more investors keen to deploy money in the data center industry. SoftBank Group Corp. agreed to buy private
[3]
SoftBank to Buy Data Center Firm DigitalBridge for $4 Billion
SoftBank's billionaire founder, Masayoshi Son, aims to capitalize on soaring demand for digital infrastructure, driven by the AI boom, and the deal will bring to SoftBank relationships with more investors keen to deploy money in the data center industry. SoftBank Group Corp. agreed to buy private
[4]
SoftBank Nears Deal for Data Center Investment Firm DigitalBridge
SoftBank Group Corp. is in advanced talks to acquire DigitalBridge Group Inc., a private equity firm that invests in assets such as data centers, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The Japanese conglomerate could announce an agreement as soon as Monday for New York-listed
[5]
SoftBank to acquire DigitalBridge for $4bn in move to deepen ties to AI
Acquisition would further expand SoftBank's investments in artificial intelligence as it tries to center itself in the boom SoftBank Group will acquire digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge Group in a deal valued at $4bn, the companies said on Monday, as the Japanese investment firm looks
[6]
Softbank Buys DigitalBridge for $4 Bn to tap Data Centre Infrastructure
SoftBank intends to capitalise on the surge in digital infrastructure driven by AI advancements. Japan's SoftBank Group has reached a definitive agreement to acquire DigitalBridge, a digital infrastructure investment firm, for an enterprise value of around $4 billion. This acquisition is part of
[7]
SoftBank to acquire AI infrastructure investor DigitalBridge for $4B - SiliconANGLE
SoftBank to acquire AI infrastructure investor DigitalBridge for $4B SoftBank Group Corp. has inked a $4.04 billion deal to buy DigitalBridge Group Inc., a private equity firm that invests in technology businesses. The companies announced the all-cash transaction on Monday a few hours after
[8]
SoftBank acquires DigitalBridge for $4B in all cash deal
Japan's SoftBank agreed on Monday to acquire data center investment firm DigitalBridge for $4 billion, purchasing all outstanding common stock at $16 per share in cash, a 15% premium to DigitalBridge's December 26 closing share price, after unanimous approval by a special committee of
[9]
SoftBank to buy DigitalBridge in $4 billion deal to bolster AI infrastructure push
SoftBank Group is acquiring DigitalBridge Group for $4 billion. This deal will boost SoftBank's focus on artificial intelligence. DigitalBridge is a major investor in digital infrastructure like data centers and cell towers. The acquisition is expected to conclude in the latter half of next year.
[10]
SoftBank buys data center investment firm DigitalBridge
SoftBank Group agreed to buy private equity firm DigitalBridge Group for about $3 billion in cash, part of the Japanese conglomerate's push to invest in data centers and other digital infrastructure fueling the artificial intelligence boom. SoftBank will pay $16 per share for New York-listed
[11]
SoftBank Buys DigitalBridge In $4 Billion AI Infrastructure Play - DigitalBridge Gr (NYSE:DBRG), SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTBF), SoftBank Group (OTC:SFTBY)
SoftBank Group Corp. (OTC:SFTBF) (OTC:SFTBY) said Monday it has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge Group Inc. (NYSE:DBRG) in a cash deal valued at about $4 billion, marking a significant step in its push to scale global infrastructure for artificial intelligence. Under the definitive agreement,
[12]
SoftBank to buy DigitalBridge in US$4 billion deal to bolster AI infrastructure push
SoftBank Group will acquire digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge Group in a deal valued at US$4 billion, the companies said on Monday, as the Japanese investment firm looks to deepen its AI-related portfolio. The acquisition would expand SoftBank's exposure to digital infrastructure as
[13]
SoftBank Group to Buy Data Center Investment Firm DigitalBridge for $4 Billion -- Update
SoftBank Group agreed to buy DigitalBridge Group for $4 billion, including debt, part of the Japanese conglomerate's strategy to take advantage of an AI-driven boom in digital infrastructure. Under the terms of the deal, SoftBank will purchase all of DigitalBridge's outstanding shares for $16
Share
Copy Link
SoftBank has agreed to acquire digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge for $4 billion, including debt, in a move to secure data center capacity and power for large-scale AI compute. The deal gives SoftBank access to DigitalBridge's 22-gigawatt power bank and relationships with investors eager to deploy capital in the data center industry. This acquisition comes as AI infrastructure planning shifts upstream into power origination and grid access.
SoftBank Bets $4 Billion on Securing AI Data Center Power Through DigitalBridge Acquisition
SoftBank has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge in a transaction valued at approximately $4 billion, including debt, marking a strategic push to secure critical infrastructure for AI compute at scale
1
. The Japanese conglomerate will pay $16 per share in cash for the New York-listed digital infrastructure investor, representing a 65% premium to DigitalBridge's closing share price on December 4, the last trading day before deal talks became public2
. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals3
.
Source: Benzinga
Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's billionaire founder, is repositioning the company to capitalize on the AI boom after years of mixed results from its Vision Fund strategy
1
. The SoftBank acquisition comes just days after Alphabet announced it would acquire Intersect, another provider of data center and energy infrastructure solutions, for $4.75 billion in cash1
. Together, these deals signal how AI infrastructure planning is moving upstream into power origination and grid access, rather than focusing solely on server procurement.
Source: AIM
Why Securing AI Data Center Power Has Become Critical for Tech Giants
DigitalBridge manages approximately $108 billion in digital infrastructure assets and operates as an infrastructure investment and management platform that raises capital, acquires or develops assets, and places operational teams around them
1
5
. The investment firm's portfolio includes well-known data center platforms such as Switch, Vantage Data Centers, DataBank, AtlasEdge, Yondr, and AIMS1
. Within its data center holdings, DigitalBridge has a "power bank" of around 22 gigawatts across land it owns, facilities already operating, and projects under development1
.
Source: Bloomberg
The demand for data centers has intensified as AI compute buildouts face bottlenecks from physical infrastructure rather than silicon supply
1
. Even when accelerators from vendors such as Nvidia are available, bringing a new AI facility online can take years due to grid interconnection queues, local permitting, and the need to design cooling infrastructure and power delivery systems that can sustain extremely high continuous loads1
. Traditional enterprise and cloud data centers were built around rack densities measured in single-digit or low double-digit kilowatts, but AI systems routinely target densities that approach or exceed 100 kilowatts1
.Data Center M&A Surge Reflects Broader Industry Transformation
The AI boom has fueled massive transactions in the digital infrastructure space. BlackRock acquired Aligned Data Centers for $40 billion, while Oracle Corp. agreed to supply OpenAI with about 4.5 gigawatts of computing power worth as much as $300 billion
2
. These high-density AI racks demand liquid cooling, often with direct-to-chip cold plates and increasingly with rear-door heat exchangers or full immersion in some designs1
. Power distribution moves away from conventional raised-floor layouts toward busways, higher-voltage feeds, and redundant substations sized for continuous peak load1
.The deal will bring to SoftBank relationships with more investors keen to deploy money in the data center industry
2
. DigitalBridge is led by Chief Executive Officer Marc Ganzi, who will continue leading the company as a separately managed platform5
. SoftBank has separately been discussing a potential acquisition of Switch, a data center operator backed by investors including DigitalBridge, with Switch's owners seeking a valuation of around $50 billion including debt3
.Related Stories
Stargate Project and SoftBank's Broader AI Infrastructure Strategy
In January, SoftBank announced the $500 billion Stargate project, alongside OpenAI, Oracle Corp., and Abu Dhabi's MGX, to build data centers in the US
3
. While Masayoshi Son pledged to deploy $100 billion "immediately," the rollout of Stargate has been slower than planned, in part because of disagreements over where the data centers should be located4
. OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank announced plans in September for five new sites across Texas, New Mexico and Ohio that will eventually have a power capacity of 7 gigawatts4
.SoftBank initially sought project financing from outside investors including insurance companies, pension funds and investment funds, but some conversations dragged due to market volatility, uncertainty around US trade policy and questions about the financial valuations of AI hardware
3
. Son this month said he "was crying" over his need to sell a $5.8 billion Nvidia stake to reallocate the money to other AI spending3
. SoftBank has previously done deals in the asset management space, acquiring Fortress Investment Group for more than $3 billion in 2017 before selling its stake in a deal completed in 20243
.DigitalBridge's emphasis on megawatts and entitled land addresses a problem that money alone cannot fix for hyperscalers
1
. A parcel of land capable of supporting 50-100 megawatts of reliable power, with room for substations and cooling infrastructure, is far more valuable for AI than a conventional colocation shell that must be retrofitted1
. DigitalBridge shares jumped 9.7% to $15.27 following the announcement, trading slightly below the sale price3
.References
Summarized by
Navi
[1]
Related Stories
SoftBank in talks to acquire DigitalBridge as AI infrastructure demand drives $6.7 trillion market
06 Dec 2025•Business and Economy
SoftBank Closes Record $11.1 Billion Bond Issuance to Complete $30 Billion OpenAI Investment
18 Sept 2026•Business and Economy
SoftBank pauses $50 billion Switch acquisition, throwing Stargate AI infrastructure plans into limbo
26 Jan 2026•Business and Economy
Recent Highlights
1
AI Leaders Warn UN Security Council of Existential Risks, Call for Global AI Governance
Policy and Regulation
2
OpenAI AI Agent Breaches Australian Government Healthcare Portal in Historic Hack
Technology
3
Bill Gates Warns AI Could Cause a Billion Deaths, Calls for Urgent Government Regulation
Policy and Regulation
Recent Highlights
Today's Top Stories
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Follow topics that matter to you and stay ahead.
