SoftBank and ByteDance secure major loans for AI growth

4.1 Investments

Sep 14, 2026

SoftBank secured an $11.87B loan to boost its OpenAI stake, raising its total commitment to $64.6B. ByteDance closed a $29.6B syndicated loan to expand its global AI infrastructure.

SoftBank Group has secured an $11.87 billion loan to fund its investment in OpenAI, surpassing its previous $10 billion target by nearly 20%. By early 2026, SoftBank’s total commitment to OpenAI reached approximately $64.6 billion, resulting in an estimated 13% ownership stake. This strategy included a $40 billion unsecured bridge loan in March 2026, with $30 billion directed into a follow-on investment as part of a $110 billion funding round that valued OpenAI at $730 billion pre-money. In August 2026, SoftBank secured a $10 billion margin loan backed by its OpenAI shares, with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan among the lenders. These moves are part of SoftBank’s plan to increase its OpenAI stake without selling other assets. Meanwhile, ByteDance closed a $29.6 billion unsecured syndicated loan, one of the largest corporate borrowings in Asia’s dollar debt markets in 2026. Initially seeking $20 billion, ByteDance increased the amount due to high demand. Nearly 30 banks participated, coordinated by Citigroup and JPMorgan, with ICBC and HSBC among the lenders. The three-year loan, extendable to five years, is priced at 68 basis points over SOFR and will support ByteDance’s overseas AI infrastructure, especially in Southeast Asia. Over 60% of the loan was underwritten by Chinese banks, with the rest from U.S., European, and Singaporean institutions.