SoftBank Group Corp. announced plans to issue up to 1 trillion yen (approximately $6.3 billion) in retail bonds, marking the largest such offering by a Japanese issuer to date. The proceeds will primarily fund investments in OpenAI and the expansion of data center capacity to support artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The seven-year bonds, maturing on September 16, 2033, are scheduled for pricing on September 4, with the offer period running from September 7 to September 16. Issuance is set for September 17, according to company statements released on Monday.
SoftBank has already committed over $60 billion to OpenAI, underscoring its aggressive push into AI development and infrastructure. The indicative coupon range for the new bonds is set between 4.3% and 4.9%, reflecting current market conditions for high-yield corporate debt in Japan.
The offering follows reports that SoftBank had also explored alternative financing options, including a margin loan backed by its OpenAI stake. SoftBank shares in Tokyo declined 2.6% to 5,118 yen at 22:11 local time on the announcement day, though the move was attributed to broader market sentiment rather than the bond issuance itself.
