SoftBank Group Corp. may soon announce an agreement to acquire U.S.-based alternative asset manager DigitalBridge, according to a Bloomberg News report, a development that has already sent DigitalBridge’s shares sharply higher. The stock surged about 40% in premarket trading, adding to gains seen earlier when reports of the discussions first surfaced. As of Friday, DigitalBridge’s market capitalisation was estimated at around $2.54 billion. Reuters said it was unable to independently verify the report, noting that neither company responded to requests for comment.
If confirmed, the deal would mark a significant expansion of SoftBank’s footprint in digital infrastructure, aligning closely with its broader strategy to scale investments tied to artificial intelligence and next-generation computing. DigitalBridge is a major investor across critical digital infrastructure assets, including data centres, cell towers, fibre networks, small-cell systems, and edge infrastructure. Its portfolio includes well-known platforms such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge.
As of September 30, DigitalBridge managed approximately $108 billion in assets, positioning it among the largest global investors focused exclusively on the digital infrastructure ecosystem. Its assets play a foundational role in enabling cloud computing, AI workloads, and high-speed connectivity—areas that are increasingly central to global technology growth.
For SoftBank, an acquisition would reinforce its push to build a portfolio aligned with long-term structural shifts in technology. Founder and CEO Masayoshi Son has repeatedly emphasised the scale of change being driven by artificial intelligence, describing it as a “once-in-a-generation technological shift”. Digital infrastructure, particularly data centres and connectivity assets, is seen as a critical backbone for this transformation.
SoftBank has already stepped up its AI-related commitments in recent months. Alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and Abu Dhabi-based investment firm MGX, the Japanese conglomerate is part of the Stargate project, a large-scale initiative aimed at expanding advanced computing capacity in the United States. Announced in September, the plan includes the development of five new computing sites across Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio, with a combined power capacity estimated at around seven gigawatts.
A potential takeover of DigitalBridge would complement these ambitions by giving SoftBank deeper exposure to the physical infrastructure required to support AI, cloud services, and data-intensive applications. While details of the talks remain limited, the market reaction underscores investor expectations that such a deal could strategically strengthen SoftBank’s position at the intersection of AI, infrastructure, and long-term digital growth.
