Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group is in talks with leading investment banks regarding a potential bond issuance of between $10 billion and $20 billion. According to reports from specialized financial publications, the proceeds will be used to refinance a bridge loan tied to the corporation's strategic investment in artificial intelligence systems developer OpenAI.
The planned offering may be denominated in both US dollars and euros. Preliminary reports indicate the deal could take place as early as September of this year, though the final size, timing, and structure of the offering are still subject to final agreement. SoftBank representatives confirmed that the company is exploring various options to refinance the previously arranged bridge loan, but a final corporate decision on the deal's parameters has not yet been made.
A portion of the proceeds may be directed toward partial or full repayment of the $40 billion bridge loan the corporation secured earlier in 2026 to fund its AI sector investment strategy. According to stated plans, SoftBank intends to invest a total of approximately $65 billion in OpenAI by October of this year, partly through the use of borrowed capital.
If the offering is executed at the maximum amount of $20 billion, the transaction would become SoftBank's second offshore bond placement in 2026 and simultaneously the largest of that period. In preparation for the offering, the corporation is also considering structuring the deal in accordance with SEC Rule 144A. This mechanism would broaden access to the offering for qualified US institutional investors without requiring full registration of the securities in the United States.
For context, in April 2026 SoftBank successfully placed dollar- and euro-denominated bonds totaling $3.6 billion. That offering included a ten-year dollar tranche with a coupon rate of 8.5%.
Following the publication of news about the upcoming debt offering, SoftBank Group shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange posted positive performance, rising to 5,228 yen per share during the morning trading session.