SoftBank Secures $40B Bridge Loan for OpenAI Investment — JPMorgan, Goldman Lead Underwriting, Matures March 2027

SoftBank Group has secured a $40 billion unsecured bridge loan to finance its investment in OpenAI, as reported by Channel News Asia and Gotrade. The loan has a tenor of approximately 12 months and is set to mature in March 2027.

The underwriting consortium includes major Japanese and American financial institutions: JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Mizuho Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and MUFG Bank. This financing follows SoftBank's previous $30 billion investment in OpenAI through its Vision Fund 2, with the company holding approximately 11% of OpenAI's equity as of the end of last year.

OpenAI is reportedly preparing for an IPO that could value the company at up to $1 trillion. In last month's funding round, SoftBank and NVIDIA each committed $30 billion while Amazon pledged $50 billion, totaling $110 billion. Additionally, SoftBank and OpenAI have launched the 'Stargate Project,' a four-year initiative with a budget of up to $500 billion to build AI infrastructure in the United States.

For CEO Masayoshi Son, this $40 billion loan symbolizes an 'all-in' bet on the future of AI. It represents a strategic decision to focus on AI's long-term potential while navigating the fluctuating performance of the Vision Fund, aiming to secure a leading position in the global AI competition.