In a joint announcement on December 30, 2025, SoftBank Group agreed to acquire DigitalBridge Group in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $4.0 billion enterprise value. Under the terms, SoftBank will pay $16.00 per DigitalBridge share, representing a premium of roughly 5.0 percent to the closing price on the day prior to the announcement. The deal encompasses DigitalBridge’s entire digital infrastructure business, which includes its data center hardware investments and related services. The transaction, backed by SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals and shareholder votes.

SoftBank’s acquisition aligns with its broader strategy to capture the surging demand for next-generation AI data centers. DigitalBridge manages over $108 billion in infrastructure assets, including data centers, fiber networks and cell towers, and operates flagship platforms such as DataBank, Switch and Vantage Data Centers. Management emphasized that combining SoftBank’s capital resources with DigitalBridge’s proven asset management platform will accelerate development of high-performance compute facilities tailored for artificial intelligence workloads. In the announcement, Masayoshi Son highlighted plans to leverage DigitalBridge’s 91 percent gross margin business model to support SoftBank’s vision of building an Artificial Super Intelligence platform.

DigitalBridge shares surged nearly 10 percent on the acquisition news but closed below the $16.00 offer price, reflecting investor reserves about deal completion. Trading volume reached 4 million shares, close to its 30-day average of 4.6 million shares, signaling heightened interest. Some investors cited SoftBank’s previous aborted tender for a high-profile tech company as a cautionary precedent. However, analysts note that DigitalBridge is consistently profitable, with a current market capitalization of $2.5 billion and minimal long-term debt. Consensus among five analyst firms maintains an “Outperform” rating with an average price target of $17.83, suggesting room for upside if the transaction closes as planned.