SoftBank to Acquire DigitalBridge in $4 Billion Push Into AI Infrastructure
GeokHub
Contributing Writer
TOKYO / NEW YORK | Dec 29 (GeokHub) SoftBank Group said on Monday it will acquire U.S.-based digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge Group in a deal valued at about $4 billion, as the Japanese conglomerate accelerates its push into artificial intelligence–related assets.
The transaction deepens SoftBank’s exposure to data centers and digital infrastructure, which underpin the rapid expansion of AI computing and cloud services.
Under the agreement, SoftBank will pay $16 per share, representing a 15% premium to DigitalBridge’s closing price on Friday and valuing the company at $2.92 billion. The deal is expected to close in the second half of next year, the companies said.
MARKET REACTION
Shares of DigitalBridge jumped 9.7% to $15.27 on Monday, extending gains after Bloomberg News first reported acquisition talks earlier this month, which had already driven the stock up about 45%.
SOFTBANK DOUBLES DOWN ON AI
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has increasingly positioned the group around artificial intelligence, betting on surging global demand for the computing capacity required to power advanced AI models.
“This is certainly a milestone in addressing critical infrastructure challenges,” said Jacob Yahiayan, chief executive of DigitalBridge investor Urban Logistic Advisory Services, though he noted SoftBank remains far from dominating the global hardware- and software-as-a-service market.
DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOCUS
DigitalBridge specializes in investments across data centers, cell towers, fiber networks, small-cell systems and edge infrastructure. Its portfolio includes companies such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch and AtlasEdge.
Originally founded in 1991 as real estate-focused Colony Capital, the firm pivoted away from property assets under CEO Marc Ganzi, rebranding as DigitalBridge in 2021 to focus exclusively on digital infrastructure.
Ganzi will continue to lead DigitalBridge as a separately managed platform, the companies said.
As of Sept. 30, DigitalBridge managed approximately $108 billion in assets, making it one of the world’s largest dedicated investors in the digital infrastructure ecosystem.
STARGATE AND AI COMPUTING EXPANSION
DigitalBridge is also a major investor in the Stargate project, alongside OpenAI, Oracle and Abu Dhabi-based tech investor MGX — a large-scale initiative aimed at expanding global AI computing capacity.
OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank announced in September plans to develop five new computing sites across Texas, New Mexico and Ohio, with a combined power capacity of about seven gigawatts when fully operational.
