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SoftBank Group is preparing to raise 1 trillion yen ($6.3 billion) through a retail bond offering as the Japanese technology conglomerate increases funding for its artificial intelligence investments, particularly its growing commitments to OpenAI.
The planned seven-year bond sale would be the largest retail bond offering ever conducted by a Japanese issuer. According to a SoftBank filing on Monday, the bonds are expected to be priced on September 4, with an indicative annual coupon ranging between 4.3% and 4.9%.
The offering is scheduled to run from September 7 through September 16. SoftBank plans to issue the bonds on September 17, with maturity set for September 16, 2033.
SoftBank shares listed in Tokyo fell 2.6% to 5,118 yen by 01:11 GMT following the announcement.
The record bond offering comes as SoftBank significantly expands its exposure to the global artificial intelligence sector. The company has committed more than $60 billion to investments in OpenAI, making the ChatGPT developer a major component of SoftBank’s broader AI strategy.
Beyond its OpenAI investments, SoftBank is accelerating spending on data centers and other AI infrastructure as demand for computing power continues to rise. Building additional computing capacity requires substantial capital, increasing the company’s need for new financing sources as it pursues large-scale AI projects.
The Japanese conglomerate has also explored alternative ways to finance its investment plans. Previous reports indicated that SoftBank considered obtaining a margin loan backed by its stake in OpenAI, highlighting the scale of funding required to support its expanding artificial intelligence portfolio.
The 1 trillion yen retail bond sale would provide SoftBank with additional capital as it pursues its aggressive AI investment strategy. With billions already committed to OpenAI and further spending planned for data center infrastructure, the fundraising underscores SoftBank’s determination to position artificial intelligence as a central pillar of its long-term growth plans.
