In October 2025, SoftBank Group sold its entire 32.1 million shares stake in Nvidia, raising $5.83 billion. The Japanese conglomerate clarified the sale was not a reflection on Nvidia’s strong prospects but rather a strategic move to free up capital for other artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, including a $22.5 billion investment in OpenAI and other large-scale infrastructure projects like its "Stargate" data center.
This divestment signals SoftBank’s repositioning from primarily investing in semiconductor hardware to backing a broader AI ecosystem encompassing software platforms, robotics, and AI infrastructure. While Nvidia remains a central player in the AI hardware market with its chips powering models like ChatGPT, SoftBank recognizes emerging growth opportunities beyond chip manufacturing.
The market responded with a modest dip in SoftBank and Nvidia’s stock prices, reflecting investor caution amidst concerns about overheated AI valuations and potential slowing growth in hardware demand. Nvidia’s valuation continues to soar, crossing $5 trillion, but faces geopolitical risks, especially restrictions limiting access to the Chinese market, a critical growth frontier.
SoftBank’s CEO Masayoshi Son maintains a bullish outlook on AI’s future and is focused on orchestrating the industry’s AI superintelligence era by nurturing a diverse portfolio of AI companies.
This stake sale positions SoftBank to capitalize on the next wave of AI innovation while maintaining exposure to Nvidia indirectly, given OpenAI’s heavy reliance on Nvidia chips. The transaction highlights evolving investment dynamics as AI matures, balancing hardware dominance with expansive software and infrastructure opportunities.
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