SoftBank Group Corp. has agreed to acquire U.S.-based digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge Group Inc. in a deal valued at approximately $4 billion, as the Japanese investment conglomerate intensifies its strategic push into artificial intelligence-related infrastructure, corporate announcements and news reports show.
Under the terms of the agreement, SoftBank will pay $16 per share in cash for all outstanding common stock of DigitalBridge, representing a premium to recent market prices, according to company statements. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the second half of 2026.
DigitalBridge, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, is a global alternative asset manager focused on data centres, cell towers, fibre networks and edge infrastructure assets widely viewed as critical to supporting high-capacity computing environments for artificial intelligence and digital services. As of mid-2025, the firm managed more than $100 billion in assets under management.
SoftBank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son said the acquisition bolsters the group’s ability to build, finance and scale foundational infrastructure needed for next-generation AI deployments, including high-performance data centres and connectivity networks that underlie advanced machine learning workloads.
Industry analysts see the deal as complementing SoftBank’s broader AI strategy, which includes substantial backing of AI compute initiatives and infrastructure projects, as well as prior investments and partnerships aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence development and deployment globally.
DigitalBridge’s leadership, including CEO Marc Ganzi, is expected to continue running the business as a separately managed platform within SoftBank’s portfolio after closing, maintaining operational continuity while integrating strategically with SoftBank’s AI infrastructure ambitions.
The acquisition highlights a growing trend among major technology investors to secure physical infrastructure, from data centres to networking assets, that can support the intense computational demands of artificial intelligence systems and services.
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