SoftBank Group Corp. is meeting with investors in New York next week to gauge demand for a potential $100 billion junk-bond sale, according to Bloomberg reporting. The meetings, scheduled for September 14 through 17, follow billionaire Masayoshi Son's stated commitment to deploy capital aggressively into artificial intelligence.
The bond sale would fund SoftBank's AI spending as it continues a borrowing campaign that has accelerated since December 2025, when the firm announced a $100 billion AI infrastructure commitment. A junk-bond offering of that scale would rank among the largest high-yield issuances on record. SoftBank has built substantial debt across multiple tranches.
SoftBank has built its investment thesis on AI infrastructure through its Vision Fund and direct purchases of computing capacity and semiconductor exposure. The firm already holds substantial debt across multiple tranches. A $100 billion bond sale would add materially to that burden.
The sale comes as the junk-bond market has reopened to large issuers following a period of tighter spreads earlier in the year. High-yield borrowing costs remain high relative to historical averages, though investment-grade spreads have compressed in recent weeks. A deal of this size would test whether institutional investors remain willing to finance megacap tech companies at high debt multiples.
Citigroup is arranging the investor meetings, according to the reporting. The bank is already negotiating a formal underwriting arrangement. SoftBank has not disclosed the specific use of proceeds, though the firm has previously tied debt issuances to AI infrastructure buildouts.
SoftBank's December 2025 AI commitment positioned the firm as one of the largest capital allocators to the sector outside sovereign wealth funds and government programs. A $100 billion bond sale would represent an increase in total debt. Son has stated his intention to accelerate deployment beyond what internal cash flows can fund.
If SoftBank closes a junk-bond sale at this size, it would increase SoftBank's total debt by roughly 15 to 20 percent depending on current debt ratios. The transaction will show whether credit markets view AI spending as a productive use of debt or as a risk factor that warrants tighter terms.
