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Introduction: A Bold Move for the AI Frontier
SoftBank Group (SBG), known for its aggressive investment strategy and tech-forward vision, has once again made headlines with a substantial financial maneuver. By selling a portion of its holdings in the U.S. telecom giant T-Mobile, SoftBank has raised a significant war chest—reportedly around ¥700 billion (approximately \$4.8 billion USD)—with the clear aim of redirecting these funds into the rapidly expanding world of artificial intelligence. As the global tech landscape accelerates towards an AI-driven future, this sale underlines SoftBank’s intention to remain at the forefront of innovation.
the Original Report
According to Bloomberg on June 17, SoftBank Group sold part of its T-Mobile US shares, generating around \$4.8 billion (approximately ¥700 billion). The move is seen as a strategic effort to fund its increasing AI investments. The group reportedly offloaded 21.5 million shares—equivalent to around 1.9% of T-Mobile’s total outstanding shares—at \$224 per share via a block trade facilitated by Bank of America.
As of the end of March, SBG held about 7.5% of T-Mobile’s shares, with an estimated total value of ¥3.4 trillion. Following the transaction, SoftBank has not commented publicly on the sale.
SoftBank’s AI portfolio has been growing fast. In March, it announced the acquisition of U.S.-based AI semiconductor company Ampere Computing. In April, the firm revealed an additional investment in OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Its projected AI investment by March 2026 now sits at a massive \$40 billion—far exceeding the previous fiscal year’s figures.
The company uses a metric called Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio as a benchmark for managing investment risk. Its LTV rose from 12.9% in December 2024 to 20.1% in May 2025 due to continued investments. During the May earnings briefing, CFO Yoshimitsu Goto emphasized the need to remain flexible in the face of market fluctuations and explore diverse funding strategies.
What Undercode Say:
SoftBank’s calculated sale of T-Mobile shares is not just a simple liquidation of assets—it’s a masterclass in financial strategy with long-term implications. Selling 1.9% of T-Mobile stock through a block trade is a method designed to avoid drastic price movements in the open market, showing SoftBank’s desire to maintain stability while unlocking liquidity.
This maneuver is about more than balance sheets—it’s about pivoting from telecom to tech futurism. AI has clearly become the gravitational center of SoftBank’s investment thesis. By selling off legacy assets in a relatively mature market like telecom, SoftBank frees itself to bet bigger on disruptive, fast-scaling sectors like AI chip design and generative AI platforms.
Investing in Ampere Computing gives SoftBank a strategic foothold in the semiconductor space, where AI workloads demand custom hardware. Likewise, doubling down on OpenAI signals a belief in the longevity and scalability of conversational AI technologies. This paints a clear picture: SoftBank is not diversifying—it’s doubling down.
The rising LTV from 12.9% to 20.1% signals increased financial risk, but still remains under their self-imposed ceiling of 25%. This controlled leverage shows SoftBank is not acting recklessly, but rather applying pressure where needed to maximize returns during a pivotal tech transition.
Furthermore, this transaction demonstrates
Yet, this is not without risk. T-Mobile is a valuable, cash-generating asset, and shedding a portion means forgoing potential long-term telecom earnings. Additionally, AI remains a volatile sector. Even giants like OpenAI face regulatory and competitive hurdles. SoftBank’s success depends on not just bold moves, but smart allocation and timing.
In essence, this is a high-stakes reshuffling of the deck—an all-in bet on a future shaped by algorithms, data, and machine intelligence. If executed well, it could reinforce SoftBank’s legacy as a tech kingmaker. If not, it may be remembered as another chapter in the group’s rollercoaster of risk-heavy ventures.
🔍 Fact Checker Results:
✅ Bloomberg confirmed
✅ The raised funds align with ongoing AI investments, including Ampere Computing and OpenAI.
✅ Loan-to-Value ratio data verified in public earnings statements as of May 2025.
📊 Prediction:
Given the momentum and strategic clarity of
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Reported By: xtechnikkeicom_175577a2b9e000e8ea02d519
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