SoftBank cuts target for OpenAI margin loan, Bloomberg News reports

SoftBank Group has downsized plans for a US$10 billion (HK$78 billion) margin loan backed by its OpenAI stake after hesitation from some creditors, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

SoftBank and bankers have discussed revising the target to as low as US$6 billion, the report said.

The group's initial pitch raised concerns among investors about the difficulty of reaching a valuation for an unlisted company like ChatGPT maker OpenAI, the report added.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. SoftBank and OpenAI did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

A margin loan is when an investor borrows from a lender to invest in securities, using the purchased investments as collateral.

The two-year margin loan would carry an option for SoftBank to extend the tenure by an additional year, Bloomberg had earlier reported in April.

While discussions are ongoing, details such as the eventual size of any borrowing could still change, the report added.

SoftBank has invested in OpenAI since September 2024. In January 2025, the two companies teamed up on Stargate, a U.S. artificial intelligence infrastructure project.

The Japanese investment conglomerate said in March it had secured a US$40 billion bridge loan to bolster investments in OpenAI and for general corporate purposes.

Reuters

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓