SoftBank reportedly nears deal to acquire DigitalBridge

SoftBank Group is in advanced discussions to acquire DigitalBridge Group, a New York-listed private equity firm focused on data center and digital infrastructure investments, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The deal could be announced as soon as December 29, but terms have not been finalized and details may still change.

DigitalBridge, led by CEO Marc Ganzi, had about US$108 billion in assets under management at the end of September, and its portfolio includes operators such as AIMS, AtlasEdge, DataBank, Switch, Vantage Data Centers, and Yondr Group.

DigitalBridge shares rose 45% after news of the talks emerged in early December, bringing its market value to around US$2.5 billion and its enterprise value, including debt, to US$3.8 billion.

SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son has been increasing investments in digital infrastructure to support AI demand.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

SoftBank’s deal shape decides operating control or only fees

Unclear whether SoftBank takes only the GP (General Partner) and asset-management platform or also buys stakes in data center assets. DigitalBridge is a private equity firm focused on digital infrastructure. DigitalBridge manages US$108 billion across Vantage Data Centers and DataBank. It also backs Switch, AtlasEdge, and Yondr with 5.4 GW in development or operation as of August 2025. A GP-only deal gives fee-related earnings and carried interest (the manager’s share of investment profits) but not control over capex or AI rollout timelines. Buying asset stakes would let it speed buildouts for Stargate, the planned US data center project with partners. Money is tight after it sold its US$5.83 billion Nvidia stake to fund OpenAI commitments, and Stargate remains not fully funded.

Suppliers can target 2025 to 2026 buildouts across DigitalBridge operators

Capital could move faster after a deal. Power and cooling suppliers should plan across DataBank. Networking/EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) should cover Vantage plus AtlasEdge plus Yondr plus Switch. Vantage is building a near-gigawatt facility in Wisconsin for Stargate and it entered Nevada with a 224 MW campus that opens in 2026. It bought Yondr’s 300 MW plus Johor campus in Johor, Malaysia and Yondr secured a 163-acre Dallas site for 550 MW capacity. AtlasEdge opened a Stuttgart, Germany data center in August 2025 that will deliver 20 MW. Procurement teams will favor suppliers able to deliver at scale if new capital arrives, creating room for early engagement on 2025 to 2026 builds.