MONEY MASTER

Key Takeaway:   GIC Pte Ltd  and  SoftBank Vision Fund 1  are exploring the sale of their stakes in Vietnamese fintech  VNLife , with a potential transaction valuing the company at  US$1 billion (RM4.21 billion) or more , according to Bloomberg. Potential Stake Sale GIC  and  SoftBank Vision Fund 1  have engaged a financial adviser to explore strategic options. Early discussions include outreach to potential investors to gauge interest. Deliberations remain  at an early stage , and no deal is guaranteed. Company Profile Founded:  2007 Presence:  Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia Core Asset:   VNPay , a leading digital payments platform in Vietnam Funding history: 2021:  Raised  US$250M+  in a round led by  General Atlantic  and  Dragoneer Investment Group . 2019:  Raised  US$300M  from  GIC  and  SoftBank Vision Fund 1 . Market Context Vietnam has emerged as o...

  Key Points SoftBank Group Corp priced a  ¥200 billion (US$1.3 billion) hybrid bond  with a  4.556% coupon , the highest for a domestically issued yen corporate bond this year. The 35-year non-call five structure was priced at  340 bps over JGBs , roughly three times the yield of 10-year government bonds. Proceeds will support funding needs tied to SoftBank’s  US$500 billion “Stargate” AI initiative . The deal size was upsized from an initial  ¥100 billion to ¥200 billion  amid strong funding requirements. Rating agencies are expected to classify  ~50% of principal as equity , given the bond’s subordinated, deferrable nature. Market Context SoftBank has been Japan’s most active corporate issuer this fiscal year, with  ¥820 billion in domestic bond sales , surpassing all peers. Elevated supply has pressured spreads higher, with the record coupon reflecting rising borrowing costs. Strategic Considerations Hybrid bonds allow SoftBank to ra...

SoftBank Group is making a bold bet on Intel, investing  US$2 billion  (RM8.45 billion) to become one of the US chipmaker’s top 10 shareholders. The Japanese giant will pay  US$23 per share  through a primary stock issuance, giving it just under a  2% stake  in Intel. This deal will make SoftBank Intel’s  sixth-largest investor , according to LSEG data. Why This Matters Intel’s lifeline:  The investment comes at a critical time for Intel, which posted a massive  US$18.8 billion loss in 2024 —its first annual loss since 1986. Struggles in AI chips:  Unlike Nvidia, Intel has little presence in the booming AI chip market. New leadership:  Intel’s new CEO,  Lip-Bu Tan , has scaled back risky chip foundry ambitions and is focused on turning the company around. Market Reaction Intel shares jumped  5.6% in after-hours trading. SoftBank stock dropped  over 5% following the announcement. SoftBank’s Position Will not seek a...

  Massive Tech Investments in the U.S. Major tech firms, including Apple, OpenAI, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, have committed over $1 trillion in U.S. investments. President Trump took credit for the pledges , though many plans were already in motion before his administration. Key Investment Announcements 1. Apple: $500 Billion Focus:  AI server production, supplier expansion, and new jobs. Jobs:  20,000. Locations:  Houston & Detroit. 2. OpenAI, SoftBank & Oracle (Stargate JV): Up to $500 Billion Focus:  AI infrastructure, massive data center projects. Jobs:  “Hundreds of thousands.” Initial Investment:  $100 billion. Location:  Texas (first project in Abilene). 3. SoftBank: $100 Billion Focus:  AI, semiconductors, and data centers. Jobs:  100,000. Key Investment Area:  Texas. 4. Meta: $65 Billion Focus:  AI computing, large-scale data centers. Location:  Louisiana. 5. Microsoft: $40+ Billion Focus:  AI and c...

SoftBank Group Corp posted its biggest quarterly profit in two years, buoyed by successful IPOs in India. This gives founder Masayoshi Son the financial firepower for ambitious moves in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors . SoftBank's Vision Fund earned ¥373 billion, bolstered by investments in Didi Global Inc , Coupang Inc , and Indian IPOs like Ola Electric Mobility and FirstCry . With India's IPO market thriving, SoftBank is in a "harvest season," as noted by analyst Devi Subhakesan . As SoftBank backs OpenAI with a US$500 million investment, CFO Yoshimitsu Goto highlighted its readiness for large AI investments, especially in sectors linked to chip design (via Arm Holdings), data centers , and robotics . SoftBank’s Vision Fund has shifted to a more focused approach, aligning with Son’s AI ambitions. The fund’s net asset value of ¥29 trillion signals its capacity for further growth in strategic tech sectors. SoftBank’s stock, sensitive to AI tr...

SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son reaffirmed his belief in the imminent arrival of artificial super intelligence (ASI) , predicting that it will surpass human intelligence by 10,000 times and emerge by 2035 . Speaking at a conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia , Son emphasized that realizing ASI would require investments totaling hundreds of billions of dollars . Son, who made his fortune betting on the rise of mobile internet and e-commerce , described the future ASI as a transformative technology. He noted that US$900 trillion in cumulative capital expenditure would be needed for data centers and chips , underscoring his belief that Nvidia , a major chip maker, remains undervalued based on its potential role in this future. Despite his optimism about future technologies, Son’s record as an investor has been mixed. SoftBank's Vision Fund , launched in 2017, revolutionized venture capital but many of its high-growth startup investments have experienced significant losses. As of ...

The founder of SoftBank Group Corp, Masayoshi Son, has seen his fortune shrink by US$2.5 billion (RM11.35 billion) following a significant two-day decline in the company’s stock price. This drop comes as the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) unexpected interest-rate hike sends shockwaves through financial markets. Market Reaction SoftBank's Stock Performance: Shares fell 6.7% during morning trading in Tokyo. Over two days, the stock has declined by roughly 13% . Despite the setback, Son’s net worth has increased by about US$3 billion from the US$11.3 billion he started with at the beginning of the year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Factors Contributing to the Decline Bank of Japan’s Interest Rate Hike: The BOJ’s earlier-than-expected rate increase has rattled investors, leading to a swift reversal in Japanese stocks. This decision has particularly impacted tech companies like SoftBank, which had been among the top performers in the market. SoftBank’s Previous Performance: ...