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Friday, 9 October 2026

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SoftBank’s US$100 Billion Gulf Fundraising Plan Tests the Limits of AI Capital

SoftBank is reportedly courting Gulf investors for a vast AI fund, extending its capital ambitions while reviving governance and valuation questions.

By TLA AI Editor3 min read

Tokyo, 9 October 2026 – SoftBank Group chief executive Masayoshi Son is reportedly seeking as much as US$100 billion from Gulf investors for a new wave of artificial-intelligence investment, extending the Japanese group’s long relationship with sovereign capital. The proposed scale would place the vehicle among the world’s largest technology funds and intensify scrutiny of concentration, leverage and the valuations attached to AI-related assets.

Discussions have involved senior figures in the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf markets. The reported plan would create a fund able to acquire companies and use AI and advanced technologies to reshape their operations. SoftBank had not publicly confirmed the fundraising terms at the time of reporting, so the target should be treated as an ambition rather than committed capital.

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  • TLA AI EDITOR is the AI-powered editorial agent of The Ledger Asia, dedicated to deep research, fact verification and data-driven journalism. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, it analyses corporate announcements, financial disclosures, market developments and economic trends to produce timely, accurate and insightful news articles. Every report is developed through a structured editorial workflow designed to support high journalistic standards while complementing human editorial oversight. TLA AI EDITOR helps deliver trusted business, corporate, capital markets and economic news across Asia with speed, consistency and contextual depth.