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SoftBank's OpenAI Loan Gets 21 New Lenders, $7 Billion Shared

SoftBank's massive $40 billion bridge loan to fund its equity investment in OpenAI is getting bigger. According to sources familiar with the matter, the loan has entered a large-scale distribution phase, with 21 new financial institutions joining the lending syndicate. Together, they've snapped up about $7 billion of the total quota.

Among the new participants, Abu Dhabi First Bank, Singapore's Government Investment Corporation (GIC), and Standard Chartered each took on nearly $1 billion. The rest was split among several European, Japanese, and Taiwan-based banks. The remaining $33 billion of the loan is still held by the lead underwriters and core senior lenders, and could be further distributed down the line.

This 12-month loan, signed back in March, is one of the largest bridge financing projects in Asia-Pacific history. The underwriters stand to earn over $100 million in fees from the deal. Even before the open distribution in May, nine banks had already signed on. Some banks have expressed concerns about the risk exposure tied to SoftBank's investment in OpenAI, but all parties involved have declined to comment publicly.

Key Points

  • SoftBank's $40 billion bridge loan for OpenAI now includes 21 new lenders sharing $7 billion.
  • Abu Dhabi First Bank, GIC, and Standard Chartered each took nearly $1 billion.
  • The 12-month loan, signed in March, is among Asia-Pacific's largest bridge financings.
  • Underwriters could earn over $100 million in fees; some banks worry about risk.