$4 Billion DigitalBridge Deal Expands SoftBank’s AI Infrastructure Empire

A $4 billion deal to acquire DigitalBridge Group expands SoftBank Group’s growing empire of artificial intelligence infrastructure assets. The transaction announcement reflects billionaire Masayoshi Son’s strategic vision of controlling key infrastructure that supports AI development and deployment.
Through this acquisition, SoftBank obtains significant additional exposure to digital infrastructure, which provides the foundational capabilities necessary for AI systems to function at scale. Son has been reshaping SoftBank’s portfolio to focus on artificial intelligence, viewing it as a once-in-a-generation technological opportunity. The surging demand for computing power to support AI applications has created substantial value in infrastructure sectors, which DigitalBridge’s specialized portfolio addresses.
DigitalBridge invests across essential digital infrastructure categories including datacenter facilities, telecommunications tower networks, fiber optic systems, small-cell infrastructure, and edge computing platforms. The portfolio features industry leaders such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. Originally established as Colony Capital in 1991 with a focus on traditional real estate, the company underwent a complete transformation under CEO Marc Ganzi’s leadership, divesting legacy property assets and rebranding as DigitalBridge in 2021.
Under the transaction terms, Ganzi will continue as CEO with DigitalBridge operating as an independently managed platform within SoftBank’s structure. The scale of what SoftBank is acquiring is substantial: DigitalBridge managed approximately $108 billion in assets as of September 30, making it one of the world’s largest dedicated investors in digital infrastructure. This established platform brings both assets and industry expertise to SoftBank.
SoftBank’s AI infrastructure investments extend across multiple initiatives. The company is a founding member of the Stargate project, working alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, a technology investor headquartered in Abu Dhabi. Stargate represents a multi-billion-dollar investment in large-scale computing infrastructure optimized for advanced AI development. The project roadmap includes five new computing sites in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity.