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SoftBank Bets Big on AI Dominance, Builds Nvidia and TSMC Stakes
5 Aug
Summary
- SoftBank raises stake in Nvidia to $3 billion, up from $1 billion
- SoftBank buys $330 million in TSMC shares and $170 million in Oracle
- SoftBank's AI ambitions centered around chip designer Arm Holdings
As of August 5th, 2025, SoftBank Group Corp. is doubling down on its AI hardware investments, building up significant stakes in key industry players Nvidia Corp. and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). The Japanese technology investor has raised its stake in Nvidia to around $3 billion, up from $1 billion in the prior quarter, and has also acquired $330 million worth of TSMC shares.
At the heart of SoftBank's AI ambitions is chip designer Arm Holdings Plc, which the company is gradually building a portfolio around. SoftBank is seeking to catch up after largely missing the historic rally that has made Nvidia a $4 trillion behemoth and boosted its contract chipmaker TSMC near a $1 trillion valuation.
The company's latest moves, which also include a $170 million investment in Oracle Corp., reflect Masayoshi Son's focus on the tools and hardware underpinning artificial intelligence. SoftBank's signature Vision Fund has also been monetizing its public and private assets, prioritizing returns on investment.
Despite the recent gains in Nvidia and TSMC's stock prices, SoftBank remains dissatisfied, as it had previously parted with a 4.9% stake in Nvidia in early 2019 that would now be worth over $200 billion. The company is now seeking to leverage its relationships with key industry players and government officials to secure its position in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
