SoftBank Launches $2.9 Billion Bond Sale Amid Firm’s AI Bets

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank Group Corp. is actively raising funds in the overseas bond market, focusing on investments in artificial intelligence, particularly through its significant stake in OpenAI [1][3]. Group 1: Fundraising Activities - SoftBank has launched a $2 billion sale of dollar notes and €750 million ($871 million) in euro-denominated notes, with the dollar tranche yielding 8.25% and the euro bond yielding 6.5% [2]. - The company has raised at least $24 billion in loans and bonds in 2025, marking one of its largest funding efforts to date [4]. Group 2: Strategic Investments - Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's founder, has committed up to $500 billion for a project named "Stargate" and announced a planned $30 billion investment in OpenAI earlier this year [3]. - During a global investor call, SoftBank's management reiterated plans to complete the $30 billion investment in OpenAI by year-end, although specific timelines and current stake details were not disclosed [5]. Group 3: Market Context - Japanese companies have sold a record amount of overseas bonds this year, exceeding $100 billion, driven by increased acquisitions and higher yen debt yields [3]. - In April, SoftBank also issued ¥600 billion ($4 billion) of notes in its home market, targeting individual investors, which was one of the largest issuances in Japan [4].