SoftBank Group (TYO:9984) is seeking a $10 billion margin loan that would be secured by its stake in U.S. artificial intelligence developer OpenAI, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.
According to the report, the proposed facility would use SoftBank's OpenAI shares as collateral. The contemplated loan is structured for an initial two-year term with an option to extend for a further year, though sources said discussions remain ongoing and final terms could change.
The funding request highlights SoftBank's intensifying allocation of capital to artificial intelligence initiatives as it takes on additional leverage to support those investments. Under founder Masayoshi Son, the company has already directed tens of billions of dollars to OpenAI through its Vision Fund, and the new loan effort would represent another step in financing that strategy.
Market reaction was visible in Tokyo on Thursday, with SoftBank's Tokyo-listed shares trading about 6% higher, broadly in line with wider market movements.
This margin-loan pursuit follows a significant credit arrangement secured by the company last month. SoftBank obtained a $40 billion bridge loan intended to back its expanding investments in the ChatGPT maker and to provide funds for general corporate purposes. Together, those financings illustrate an increased reliance on borrowed capital to underwrite the conglomerate's AI ambitions.
Separately, some market tools and research products referenced in the original report evaluate companies like SoftBank across multiple financial metrics. For example, one product cited evaluates ticker 9984 with an AI-driven model that analyzes fundamentals, momentum, and valuation among thousands of companies to identify potential risk-reward opportunities. That product described itself as unbiased and noted prior notable stock performances.
Information in this article is based on the reported details provided by Bloomberg News and the statements attributed to people familiar with the matter. Terms of the loan remain subject to negotiation and could change.