SoftBank to Control DigitalBridge in $4B Deal Targeting AI Infrastructure Sector

SoftBank Group will take control of DigitalBridge Group through a $4 billion acquisition, gaining a major foothold in the digital infrastructure sector that underpins artificial intelligence. The deal announcement from both companies highlights SoftBank’s determination to establish leadership in AI infrastructure under founder Masayoshi Son’s direction.
This transaction dramatically increases SoftBank’s presence in digital infrastructure, which encompasses the physical assets and network systems necessary to support AI applications at scale. Son has been systematically redirecting SoftBank’s investment portfolio toward artificial intelligence, viewing it as a once-in-a-generation technological shift. The unprecedented demand for computing resources to run AI systems has created substantial opportunities in infrastructure, which DigitalBridge’s specialized portfolio addresses.
DigitalBridge has built an investment portfolio focused on essential digital infrastructure including datacenters, cell towers, fiber networks, small-cell systems, and edge infrastructure. Key holdings include companies like Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. The firm’s transformation from its 1991 origins as Colony Capital, a traditional real estate investor, to today’s digital infrastructure specialist occurred under CEO Marc Ganzi, who orchestrated the sale of legacy property assets and the 2021 rebrand.
Under the acquisition agreement, Ganzi will remain as CEO with DigitalBridge continuing to operate as an independently managed platform. The magnitude of the acquired business is substantial: DigitalBridge had roughly $108 billion in assets under management at the end of September, making it one of the world’s premier dedicated investors in digital infrastructure. This gives SoftBank immediate scale and expertise in a rapidly growing sector.
SoftBank’s AI infrastructure strategy encompasses additional major investments. The company is a founding partner in the Stargate project, working with OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, a technology investor based in Abu Dhabi. Stargate involves deploying billions of dollars to build large-scale computing infrastructure designed specifically for advanced AI development. The project roadmap includes five new computing sites across Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio, designed for approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity.