NextFin news, On August 19, 2025, SoftBank Group, a Japanese technology investment giant, announced it is acquiring a $2 billion equity stake in Intel Corporation, the American semiconductor manufacturer. The investment involves purchasing newly issued Intel shares at $23 per share, representing approximately a 2% stake in the company.
The announcement was made in a joint statement by SoftBank and Intel, emphasizing their shared commitment to advancing technology and semiconductor innovation within the United States. The deal was reported from Singapore by Osmond Chia of BBC News.
Following the announcement, Intel's shares surged by more than 5% in after-hours trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, August 19, 2025.
This investment comes amid reports that the Trump administration is considering taking a roughly 10% stake in Intel by converting government grants into shares, aiming to support Intel's plans to build a flagship semiconductor manufacturing hub in Ohio. However, the White House has not officially confirmed these discussions.
Intel's CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, expressed positive sentiments about deepening the relationship with SoftBank. The investment is seen as a vote of confidence in Intel's turnaround efforts, especially as the company faces intense competition from global rivals such as Samsung and TSMC.
SoftBank's chairman and CEO, Masayoshi Son, highlighted the importance of semiconductors as the foundation of all industries and underscored the strategic significance of supporting semiconductor production in the United States.
The deal reflects broader efforts by the U.S. government and private sector to accelerate domestic semiconductor production, reduce reliance on Asian supply chains, and position Intel at the center of artificial intelligence and national security technologies.
Intel declined to comment on the reported discussions with the U.S. government but reaffirmed its commitment to supporting efforts to strengthen manufacturing and technology in the U.S.
Sources for this report include BBC News, Reuters, Nikkei Asia, and Yahoo! Japan News, all reporting on August 19, 2025.
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