A $4 billion deal is bringing DigitalBridge Group’s extensive tower and datacenter assets to SoftBank Group, positioning the Japanese conglomerate to benefit from artificial intelligence infrastructure growth. The transaction announcement reflects founder Masayoshi Son’s focus on acquiring diverse infrastructure assets supporting AI technologies.
The acquisition gives SoftBank significantly broadened exposure to digital infrastructure, which provides the computing, networking, and storage capabilities essential for AI applications. Son has been systematically directing SoftBank’s capital toward artificial intelligence, recognizing the extraordinary value creation opportunity. The explosive demand for computing resources to power AI systems has made tower and datacenter assets increasingly strategic, which DigitalBridge’s portfolio comprehensively addresses.
DigitalBridge’s investment portfolio spans critical digital infrastructure categories including datacenter properties, telecommunications tower networks, fiber optic systems, small-cell infrastructure, and edge computing facilities. Holdings include prominent entities like Vantage Data Centers, Zayo, Switch, and AtlasEdge. The firm’s evolution from its 1991 founding as Colony Capital, a real estate investment company, to its current form occurred under CEO Marc Ganzi, who orchestrated the complete exit from traditional property holdings and the 2021 rebrand.
Marc Ganzi will continue serving as CEO following the transaction, with DigitalBridge maintaining operational independence as a separately managed platform. The diversity of assets is impressive: DigitalBridge had approximately $108 billion in assets under management as of September 30, making it one of the world’s largest dedicated investors in digital infrastructure. This gives SoftBank immediate access to both tower and datacenter assets.
SoftBank’s AI infrastructure strategy extends across multiple fronts. The company is a founding partner in the Stargate project, working alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, an investment firm headquartered in Abu Dhabi. Stargate represents a multi-billion-dollar commitment to building large-scale computing infrastructure optimized for advanced AI development. Current plans include five new computing facilities in Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio designed for approximately 7 gigawatts of combined power capacity.
