Tag: Softbank

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SoftBank exits Nvidia with $5.83 billion stake sale to fund AI ambitions

Softbank sells Nvidia stock

SoftBank Group has reportedly sold its entire holding of Nvidia shares, cashing in approximately $5.83 billion to fuel its expanding investments in artificial intelligence

The Japanese tech conglomerate offloaded 32.1 million shares in October 2025, marking a strategic pivot away from the chipmaker that once anchored its Vision Fund portfolio.

The sale coincided with SoftBank’s announcement of a ¥2.5 trillion net profit for the July–September 2025 quarter, buoyed by gains from both Nvidia and a partial divestment of its T-Mobile stake.

AI ventures

Founder, Masayoshi Son is now redirecting capital towards ambitious AI ventures, including the Stargate data centre project and robotics manufacturing in the U.S.

While SoftBank remains entangled with Nvidia’s ecosystem through its AI-linked ventures, this exit signals a broader monetisation strategy amid growing scrutiny over tech sector valuations.

The move underscores Son’s intent to reshape SoftBank as a dominant force in next-generation AI infrastructure.

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Nikkei 225 Breaks 50,000: A Milestone Fueled by Tech Trade and Policy Optimism

Nikkei at new all-time high!

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index surged past the 50,000 mark for the first time in history, marking a symbolic milestone for Asia’s second-largest economy.

The rally reflects a potent mix of domestic resilience, global investor appetite, and strategic policy shifts that have redefined Japan’s market narrative.

The breakthrough comes amid renewed optimism surrounding U.S.-China trade negotiations, with President Trump signalling progress ahead of a key meeting with Japan’s Sanae Takaichi.

Investors are betting on a thaw in geopolitical tensions, which could unlock export growth for Japan’s tech-heavy industrial base.

Driving the rally are heavyweight stocks in semiconductors, robotics, and AI infrastructure—sectors buoyed by global demand and Japan’s push to become a regional data hub.

Nikkei 225 Index at new history high above 50,000

Companies like Tokyo Electron and SoftBank have seen double-digit gains, fuelled by bullish earnings and strategic pivots toward AI and automation.

Domestically, the Bank of Japan’s continued accommodative stance has kept borrowing costs low, while corporate governance reforms have attracted foreign capital.

The weaker yen has also boosted exporters, making Japanese goods more competitive abroad.

Symbolically, the 50,000 threshold represents more than just market exuberance—it’s a vote of confidence in Japan’s ability to adapt, innovate, and lead in a shifting global landscape.

While risks remain—from demographic headwinds to geopolitical flashpoints—the Nikkei’s ascent signals a new era of investor engagement with Japan’s evolving economic story.

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Trump announces massive U.S. AI investment backed by Oracle, OpenAI and Softbank

U.S. AI investment

President Donald Trump announced a joint venture with OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank to invest billions of dollars in artificial intelligence infrastructure in the U.S.

The project, dubbed Stargate, was unveiled at the White House by Trump, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison.

The executives committed to invest an initial $100 billion and up to $500 billion over the next four years in the project, which will be set up as a separate company.

Softbank’s Son had reportedly already promised a four-year, $100-billion investment when he recently visited then-President-elect Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

And this new AI investment is over and above the investments from the likes of Microsoft, Google, Apple, Anthropic and many others already in progress.

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Arm reportedly to launch AI chips in 2025 as Softbank plan AI data centres

AI

Arm, with a 90% holding by SoftBank, is reportedly set to establish an AI chip unit with the goal of developing a prototype by spring 2025.

This initiative is aimed at catching up with the booming AI market, currently dominated by Nvidia.

Arm, alongside competitors such as AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm, is accelerating efforts to gain position in the AI sector.

SoftBank is negotiating with contract manufacturers, including Taiwan’s TSMC, to produce the AI chips. Mass production is expected to commence in autumn 2025.

Arm’s shares have surged by nearly 45% this year, bringing its market capitalization to over $113 billion.

The chip designer based in the U.K., plans to create an AI chip unit to develop a prototype by spring 2025.

Discussions are reportedly ongoing with contract manufacturers like Taiwan’s TSMC for the production of the AI chips. It was reported that production is anticipated to start in fall 2025.

Arm is responsible for designing the core architecture for these chips. The company licences its designs to companies including Qualcomm and Nvidia and earning royalty fees from each sale. The company asserts that 99% of high-end smartphones utilize Arm technology.

Ambition

Established by Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son, SoftBank is heavily investing in AI. The company has new plans to allocate $960 million by the following year to enhance its generative AI computing capabilities. In June 2023, Son expressed SoftBank’s ambition to occupy a leading role in the AI revolution.

Reportedly, SoftBank aims to establish AI data centres equipped with proprietary chips throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East by 2026.

For the fiscal year concluding in March 2024, SoftBank recorded a 7.24 billion Japanese Yen ($4.6 billion) profit in its Vision Fund.

This was the first profitable year for the principal tech investment division since 2021.