Author: Kerem Kardeş
The Japanese group pivots from chip profits to AI infrastructure amid growing concerns about an “AI bubble.”
Japan’s SoftBank Group has sold all of its estimated $5.8 billion interest in Nvidia Corp. To reallocate its funds to the development of AI infrastructure and joint ventures. One of the biggest tech divestitures of the year and a potential turning point in the AI investment boom, the move was revealed by respected financial news channels such as Financial Times and Reuters on November 11.
Through its Vision Fund, SoftBank had carefully accumulated a holding of about 32 million Nvidia shares and profited substantially from the company’s more than 1000 percentage point rise since early 2023. By selling at the peak of the AI-chip boom, SoftBank locked in significant gains while freeing liquidity for what founder Masayoshi Son described as “the next phase of the AI revolution.”
According to Reuters, the acquired funds will be channeled into data center development, robotics, and AI-driven cloud computing, including collaborations with OpenAI. The decision was made at the same time that SoftBank announced a quarterly net profit of ¥2.5 trillion ($16.2 billion), which was its best performance in three years and demonstrated the company’s increased financial flexibility.
The announcement caused markets to react cautiously, with experts warning of potential overheating in AI stocks and Nvidia’s shares falling nearly 3% after the news. The sale “sparked fears of an emerging AI bubble,” according to the Financial Times, as institutional investors start reevaluating sector valuations.
From SoftBank’s perspective, this appears less of an exit than a reallocation. SoftBank is exchanging equity for strategic influence over the infrastructure that will shape the next wave of artificial intelligence.
Sources:
- Soni, A. (2025, November 11). SoftBank’s $5.8 billion Nvidia stake sale stirs fresh AI bubble fears. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/softbanks-58-billion-nvidia-stake-sale-stirs-fresh-ai-bubble-fears-2025-11-11/
- Kageyama, Y. (2025, November 11). Japan’s SoftBank says it has sold its shares in Nvidia for $5.8 billion, turning its focus to OpenAI. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/japan-softbank-son-nvidia-ai-chips-d8a10172850628c317a214280a4d94c9
- SoftBank sells Nvidia stake for $5.8bn as it prepares for AI investments. (2025, November 11). Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/5f04e0e2-7a9c-4885-92a3-9ed5242c7d38
- SoftBank says it sold its entire Nvidia stake – The chip stock is sliding. (2025, November 11). Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/softbank-says-it-sold-its-nvidia-stake-the-chip-stock-is-sliding-11847319
