💻 SoftBank Doubles Down on Semiconductors with $2 Billion Intel Investment

SILICON VALLEY – In a major move that underscores the growing global semiconductor race, SoftBank Group announced a $2 billion (¥296 billion yen) investment in Intel, strengthening its position in the chip industry while aligning with U.S. efforts to boost domestic chip production.

The investment highlights SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son’s strategy of aggressively expanding in the AI and semiconductor sector, following recent acquisitions of Graphcore (UK AI chipmaker) and Ampere Computing (U.S. chip design firm), along with a major increase in Nvidia holdings.

Intel and SoftBank: A Strategic Chip Alliance

SoftBank said it will purchase Intel common stock at $23 per share, close to Intel’s recent closing price of $23.66. This acquisition gives SoftBank a 2% stake in Intel, a company valued at over $100 billion.

“Semiconductors are the foundation of every industry,” said Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank Group. “This strategic investment reflects our belief that advanced semiconductor manufacturing and supply will further expand in the United States, with Intel playing a critical role.”

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan welcomed the investment, noting that it strengthens collaboration between two long-time allies:

“We are very pleased to deepen our relationship with SoftBank, a company at the forefront of emerging technology and innovation. Masa and I have worked together for decades, and this investment demonstrates our shared commitment to advancing U.S. technology and semiconductor leadership.”

U.S. Chip Strategy and National Security

The deal also reflects U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for domestic chip production, with reports that the U.S. government may take a 10% stake in Intel. This positions Intel at the heart of both American industrial policy and global supply chain security, while giving SoftBank a unique role as a Japanese ally in U.S. semiconductor expansion.

SoftBank has now partnered with the Trump administration in two strategic areas:

• AI Development: Son’s Stargate Project, a $500 billion investment into U.S. artificial intelligence.

• Chip Manufacturing: The new $2 billion Intel stake.

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SoftBank’s Expanding Chip Portfolio

SoftBank has been making aggressive global investments in semiconductors and AI:

• Graphcore (UK, 2024): Acquired AI chipmaker.

• Ampere Computing (U.S., 2025): Acquired chip design company.

• Nvidia Holdings: Increased by 2.9x, reaching $4.8 billion by end of 2024.

With these moves, SoftBank is positioning itself as a semiconductor superpower, controlling stakes across the chip supply chain — from design to AI to manufacturing.

Arm + Intel: A Potential New Synergy

One of the most interesting outcomes of this deal could be collaboration between Intel and Arm, a SoftBank-owned chip-designing giant.

• Arm currently licenses designs to chipmakers worldwide.

• Reports suggest Arm may soon launch its own branded chips.

• If Arm enters chip production, Intel could serve as its fabrication partner, creating a powerful alliance in the global chip ecosystem.

This potential Intel–Arm collaboration could reshape competition in both AI chips and semiconductor manufacturing.

Global Semiconductor Outlook

The global chip market is expected to grow significantly as demand surges for:

• AI chips powering machine learning and generative AI.

• 5G and 6G networks requiring advanced semiconductors.

• Autonomous vehicles and IoT devices dependent on AI-driven chip architecture.

With SoftBank, Intel, Nvidia, and Arm all playing critical roles, the future of the semiconductor industry will define the digital economy of the next decade.