SoftBank(US:SFTBY) 日经中文网·2026-01-08 02:59Group 1 - SoftBank Group plans to invest in OpenAI through its second fund starting September 2024, with an additional investment of $22.5 billion expected in 2025, indicating strong confidence in OpenAI's future IPO and valuation growth [2][5]. - The second fund's investment targets have increased significantly, with the number of companies rising from 157 to 279 over four years, particularly in the AI sector, which grew from 35 to 84 companies [3]. - The total investment scale of the second fund has been expanded from $67.8 billion to $101.8 billion, reflecting a strategic shift towards AI investments [5]. Group 2 - OpenAI's valuation has seen dramatic growth, increasing from $150 billion in September 2024 to $500 billion by October 2025, marking over a threefold increase within a year [5]. - The second fund primarily invests in unlisted AI companies, with notable mentions including Databricks, which is expected to achieve a valuation exceeding $100 billion, and Wiz, acquired by Google for $32 billion [8]. - The performance of IPOs in 2025 has been disappointing, with companies like eToro, Chime, and Klarna reporting significant losses, highlighting the challenges faced by SoftBank's investments in the fintech sector [9]. Group 3 - PayPay, a major smartphone payment company in which the second fund holds a 34% stake, is expected to file for an IPO in the U.S. by 2026, which could be crucial for SoftBank's financial recovery and its AI investment strategy [9].