SoftBank Group is planning a huge bond sale. The amount is more than $11 billion. This would be one of the biggest junk bond deals ever. Insiders, who do not wish to be named, shared this information with Bloomberg. The talks are still private.
The company wants to raise $10 billion in dollar bonds. These bonds will come in three different maturities. SoftBank also wants to raise 1 billion euros.
This euro debt will have two different maturities. Part of this money will fund an investment in OpenAI. This follow-on investment is expected to close next month. The deal itself may be priced on Thursday, Bloomberg reported.
SoftBank is led by billionaire Masayoshi Son. It is one of the largest AI investors worldwide. Its fortunes are now closely linked to the ChatGPT parent.
SoftBank has committed nearly $65 billion to OpenAI, according to Bloomberg. This makes SoftBank central to AI-related debt bets. Meanwhile, safety concerns about AI have also increased.
SoftBank and its banks are checking investor interest. They want to understand possible pricing levels. This gives an early idea about likely costs. All discussions are still at an early stage. Numbers could change before the final deal happens, according to Bloomberg.
If priced as discussed, yields would set new records. These would be SoftBank’s records in these currencies. However, bond terms often shift before pricing is finalised. The company has not offered any official comment yet.
SoftBank’s AI investment
This bond sale adds to SoftBank’s recent activities. The company has been building its AI financing power. In March, SoftBank took a $40 billion bridge loan. This loan supported another OpenAI investment. SoftBank later repaid the entire $25.9 billion balance.
Last week alone, SoftBank arranged nearly $21 billion, according to Bloomberg. It increased a loan backed by ARM Holdings shares. This loan rose by $5 billion, reaching $25 billion. SoftBank also added $450 million to another credit line. That line now totals $6.5 billion.
Apollo Global Management is also increasing SoftBank’s loan size. This loan may grow by $3.6 billion. It would then reach a total of $9 billion. This loan also supports SoftBank’s investment in OpenAI. Separately, SoftBank secured another $11.87 billion loan.
This year, SoftBank has already sold almost $15 billion in notes. This makes it the biggest junk-rated borrower in 2026. Earlier this year, it also took a $10 billion loan. That loan was backed by its stake in OpenAI.
These deals are happening during rising borrowing costs globally. Inflation is affecting most major economies right now. SoftBank’s 2031-dollar bond yield has risen sharply. It rose from 6.7% to 8.2% this year, Bloomberg added.
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