SoftBank Group is adding extensive fiber and edge infrastructure capabilities through a $4 billion deal to acquire DigitalBridge Group, the companies jointly announced. The transaction reflects founder Masayoshi Son’s recognition that diverse infrastructure assets will be necessary to support artificial intelligence deployment.
The acquisition provides SoftBank with dramatically broadened exposure to digital infrastructure beyond traditional datacenters, encompassing fiber networks and edge computing facilities essential for AI applications. Son has been reshaping SoftBank’s investment portfolio toward artificial intelligence, recognizing that comprehensive infrastructure coverage creates competitive advantages. The growing demand for distributed computing resources to support AI systems has made fiber and edge assets increasingly valuable, which DigitalBridge’s portfolio addresses.
DigitalBridge specializes in digital infrastructure investments spanning datacenters, cell towers, fiber optic networks, small-cell systems, and edge computing facilities. The company’s holdings include industry-recognized entities like Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. Beginning as Colony Capital in 1991 as a real estate investment firm, the company transformed completely under CEO Marc Ganzi’s direction, systematically exiting traditional property investments and rebranding as DigitalBridge in 2021.
Marc Ganzi will continue serving as CEO following the transaction, with DigitalBridge maintaining operational independence. The diversity of infrastructure is noteworthy: DigitalBridge managed around $108 billion in assets as of September 30, establishing it as one of the world’s largest dedicated investors in digital infrastructure. This gives SoftBank immediate access to fiber networks and edge computing capabilities alongside traditional datacenter assets.
SoftBank’s AI infrastructure commitment extends across multiple projects. The company is a principal backer of the Stargate project alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, a technology investment firm based in Abu Dhabi. This collaborative effort involves multi-billion-dollar investments in large-scale computing infrastructure designed specifically for advanced AI development. The roadmap includes five computing centers in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio with a total power capacity of approximately 7 gigawatts.
