SoftBank completes $30B OpenAI follow-on: final $10B tranche gives it ~13% ownership
SoftBank executed the final $10 billion tranche of its OpenAI follow-on investment on October 1, bringing its total OpenAI investment to $64.6 billion and ~13% ownership.
What happened
On October 1, 2026 (Japan time), SoftBank Group announced it had executed the third and final tranche of its follow-on investment in OpenAI Group PBC, investing $10.0 billion (¥1,579.6 billion) through SoftBank Vision Fund 2 — the tranche announced in its February 27, 2026 "Follow-on Investments in OpenAI" disclosure. This completes the $30.0 billion of follow-on investments SoftBank had previously announced. As a result, SoftBank's cumulative investment in OpenAI totals $64.6 billion and its ownership interest is approximately 13%. The third tranche was funded with proceeds from SoftBank's September 24, 2026 issuance of foreign-currency-denominated senior notes. Separately, effective September 30, 2026, SoftBank canceled the remaining $10 billion of undrawn capacity under its $40 billion bridge facility agreement from March 27, 2026; all borrowings under the bridge facility have now been repaid and no undrawn commitments remain.
Why it matters
This is the culmination of SoftBank's multi-year bet on OpenAI — a $64.6B position worth ~13% of one of the world's most valuable private companies. The full repayment of the bridge facility and the return of committed capital leave SoftBank's OpenAI exposure in permanent equity form at the peak of the AI capital-expenditure boom. It also lands just two days after DevDay 2026, where OpenAI unveiled Dots, GPT-6.1 Sol, and its $500 Pro tier — SoftBank is buying the next leg of the agent era.
Sources
- SoftBank Group press release (official) — Verified October 1, 2026.