SoftBank Group is executing a $4 billion takeover of DigitalBridge Group in a transaction designed to significantly enhance the Japanese conglomerate’s capabilities in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The deal, revealed on Monday, marks another aggressive move by SoftBank to establish commanding positions in sectors supporting AI development as computing demand reaches unprecedented levels.
DigitalBridge’s value to SoftBank lies in its comprehensive portfolio of infrastructure assets that provide the foundation for modern digital services and AI applications. The company maintains investment positions across datacenter facilities, telecommunications tower networks, fiber optic cable systems, small-cell wireless infrastructure, and edge computing platforms. Its portfolio features prominent operators such as Vantage Data Centers, telecommunications provider Zayo, datacenter company Switch, and European edge infrastructure developer AtlasEdge, all serving critical roles in the digital economy.
The evolution of DigitalBridge illustrates the investment sector’s shifting priorities over recent decades. Founded as Colony Capital in 1991, the firm initially pursued traditional real estate investment opportunities. Under CEO Marc Ganzi’s strategic direction, the company identified digital infrastructure as a high-growth sector and executed a comprehensive transformation. After divesting legacy real estate assets, the firm completed its rebrand to DigitalBridge in 2021, establishing itself as a pure-play digital infrastructure investor. The acquisition preserves operational continuity, with Ganzi continuing to lead DigitalBridge as a distinct platform within SoftBank’s broader organization.
Commanding approximately $108 billion in assets as of the end of September, DigitalBridge stands among the world’s preeminent digital infrastructure investment platforms. This substantial asset base delivers immediate scale to SoftBank’s digital infrastructure operations and provides expertise in managing complex infrastructure portfolios. The acquisition enhances SoftBank’s ability to capitalize on surging demand for computing capacity driven by artificial intelligence applications requiring vast computational resources.
SoftBank’s infrastructure investments extend well beyond DigitalBridge. The company has emerged as a key participant in the Stargate project, partnering with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX to develop large-scale computing infrastructure. The collaboration has unveiled plans for five new computing centers distributed across Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio, designed to deliver approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity. These massive investments embody Masayoshi Son’s strategic thesis that artificial intelligence represents a generational technological shift offering extraordinary opportunities for forward-looking investors positioned at the infrastructure layer supporting AI development.