In a $4 billion transaction, DigitalBridge Group is being acquired by SoftBank Group, adding a major digital infrastructure platform to the Japanese conglomerate’s growing arsenal of AI-related investments. The deal was announced jointly and reflects SoftBank’s systematic approach to building a commanding presence in artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The acquisition provides SoftBank with significantly expanded exposure to digital infrastructure, which forms the physical and network backbone for AI technologies. Masayoshi Son, SoftBank’s billionaire founder, has been orchestrating a strategic shift to focus the company’s investments on artificial intelligence, recognizing the enormous value creation opportunity. The explosive growth in demand for computing capacity to power AI applications has made infrastructure assets increasingly valuable, which DigitalBridge’s portfolio captures.
DigitalBridge invests across digital infrastructure categories including datacenter properties, telecommunications towers, fiber optic networks, small-cell wireless systems, and edge computing facilities. The portfolio includes industry leaders such as Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. Originally established as Colony Capital in 1991 with a focus on real estate investment, the company transformed completely under CEO Marc Ganzi’s direction, exiting traditional property holdings and adopting the DigitalBridge name in 2021.
Following the transaction, Ganzi will continue serving as CEO with DigitalBridge operating as a separately managed platform within SoftBank’s organizational structure. The financial scale is significant: DigitalBridge managed around $108 billion in assets as of the end of September, ranking it among the largest institutional investors dedicated exclusively to digital infrastructure. This established platform brings both substantial assets and deep industry relationships to SoftBank.
SoftBank’s AI infrastructure commitment extends across multiple initiatives. The company is a key partner in the Stargate project alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, an investment firm based in Abu Dhabi. This collaborative effort involves billions of dollars in investments to create large-scale computing infrastructure optimized for advanced AI development. The project includes plans for five computing facilities in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with a total power capacity of approximately 7 gigawatts.