TLDR
- SoftBank will repay $25.9 billion of its $40 billion bridge loan on September 15, 2026
- The loan was SoftBank’s largest-ever dollar-denominated borrowing
- SoftBank is exploring a $10 to $20 billion junk-bond sale to replace the short-term debt
- The financing was used to fund SoftBank’s investment in OpenAI, backed by Microsoft
- A further $30 billion investment in OpenAI via SoftBank Vision Fund 2 is planned
SoftBank Group has announced it will repay $25.9 billion of its $40 billion bridge loan on September 15, 2026. The loan was taken out earlier this year to fund its stake in OpenAI.
SOFTBANK TO REPAY $25.9B REMAINING ON $40B OPENAI BRIDGE LOAN
SoftBank plans to repay the outstanding balance on Sept. 15, months ahead of its March 2027 maturity, as it shifts the financing behind its OpenAI investment toward longer-term debt.
The company is considering a… pic.twitter.com/Hw8kIh2LkV
— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) September 9, 2026
The $40 billion facility was SoftBank’s largest-ever borrowing in US dollars. Of that total, $30 billion had been drawn down. The company is now moving to replace this short-term debt with longer-term financing.
The loan was non-collateralized and was originally due to mature in March 2027. SoftBank said the funds were used for its OpenAI investments and other associated costs.
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has made AI investment central to the company’s strategy. The OpenAI deal reflects his push to put SoftBank at the center of the global AI industry.
SoftBank’s Plan to Refinance
Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Kirk Boodry said SoftBank has been trying to stay ahead of the loan’s maturity date. He noted that issuing bonds would push the repayment deadline out by several years, which reduces pressure on the company.
SoftBank is planning meetings with investors in New York next week to gauge interest in a potential US dollar junk-bond sale. The company is considering raising between $10 billion and $20 billion, which may include a tranche in euros.
The company has already raised around $25 billion in 2026 through offshore and domestic bond sales and a margin loan. It is separately seeking an additional $10 billion loan.
SoftBank recently secured a $10 billion margin loan backed by its OpenAI stake. These moves are all part of a broader effort to restructure its debt on more stable, long-term terms.
SoftBank Chief Financial Officer Yoshimitsu Goto said in August that the company planned to begin replacing the bridge loan ahead of schedule. He said options include syndicated loans, bond issuances, margin loans, and potentially asset sales.
Microsoft’s Role in the OpenAI Deal
The OpenAI investment is backed by Microsoft, which is one of the company’s major supporters. Microsoft currently trades at around $493.95 and carries a market capitalization of roughly $3.67 trillion.
Microsoft operates across three business segments: Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, and More Personal Computing.
The early repayment of the bridge loan is also intended to support a planned $30 billion follow-on investment in OpenAI through SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
SoftBank has not confirmed the final structure of its upcoming bond sale. Investor meetings in New York next week are expected to provide more clarity on the size and terms of the deal.
The repayment on September 15 marks a key step in SoftBank’s effort to put its AI financing on a more sustainable footing.
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