SoftBank has sold its $5.8 billion Nvidia stake to finance a record-setting investment in OpenAI, signaling its growing confidence in the future of artificial intelligence software. The divestment marks a major reorientation of its portfolio toward emerging AI leaders.
In its quarterly report, SoftBank announced profits of 2.5 trillion yen — a sharp increase from last year’s results — fueled by valuation gains tied to AI investments. The company also offloaded part of its T-Mobile holdings to raise capital.
CFO Yoshimitsu Goto said more than $30 billion will be invested in OpenAI this year. “It’s a long-term decision to fund transformative AI capabilities,” he said.
Nvidia’s stock fell 3.5% in early trading after the sale was revealed, leading to declines in other tech shares as markets reassessed AI valuations. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.85% during the session.
Analysts say SoftBank’s timing suggests prudent profit-taking after Nvidia’s extraordinary run. By reallocating those gains into OpenAI, the company is positioning itself to shape the next chapter of AI evolution.