SoftBank to acquire digitalbridge in $4 bln deal, expanding AI infrastructure push

Japan’s SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire digital infrastructure investment firm DigitalBridge Group in a deal valued at about $4 billion, as the conglomerate accelerates its push to build a portfolio aligned with the fast-growing artificial intelligence sector.

Under the agreement, SoftBank will buy DigitalBridge at an offer price of $16 per share, representing a premium of roughly 15% to the company’s closing price on Friday. DigitalBridge’s shares had already surged around 45% earlier this month after reports first emerged that the two companies were in talks.

As of Friday, DigitalBridge had a market capitalisation of approximately $2.54 billion.

The acquisition underscores SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son’s strategy to capitalise on soaring global demand for computing power and digital infrastructure that underpins artificial intelligence applications. SoftBank has been steadily increasing its exposure to assets linked to AI, which Son has described as a once-in-a-generation technological transformation.

DigitalBridge is a major investor in digital infrastructure, with exposure across data centres, cell towers, fibre networks, small-cell systems and edge infrastructure. Its portfolio includes prominent companies such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch and AtlasEdge. As of September 30, the firm managed about $108 billion in assets, making it one of the largest dedicated investors in the global digital infrastructure ecosystem.

The deal would significantly deepen SoftBank’s footprint in digital infrastructure at a time when demand for large-scale computing capacity is being driven by rapid advances in artificial intelligence.

SoftBank is also a key participant in the Stargate project, a massive AI computing and infrastructure initiative backed alongside OpenAI, Oracle and Abu Dhabi-based technology investor MGX. As part of that effort, the partners announced plans in September to build five new computing sites across Texas, New Mexico and Ohio, with a combined power capacity of around seven gigawatts once fully operational.