MoneyThe story, in brief
SoftBank raises $11bn in record junk bond offering to fund OpenAI bet
$11B. SoftBank just raised a record junk-bond offering to double down on OpenAI — and investors are still hungry at 9.75% yields.
The KeyNews take
Why it matters
SoftBank's record debt raise signals sustained investor appetite for AI mega-bets despite higher borrowing costs. The 9.75% yield floor reveals the risk premium the market now demands for AI-scale capital deployment — a data point on how the AI funding landscape is tightening and maturing.
The key facts
6 to know$11B raised in junk bond offering
Record offering size for SoftBank via this mechanism
Yields up to 9.75%
Proceeds directed to OpenAI investment
Indicator of investor appetite for AI despite rising rates
Published Sep 24, 2026
The story so far
Earlier coverage of this storyline
- SoftBank launches one of biggest junk bond deals to fund OpenAI betFinancial Times Technology
- SoftBank shares jump over 7% after $11.1 billion bond issuance to fund OpenAI betCNBC Technology
- This story
Go to the source
Financial Times Technologyft.com
Publisher excerpt: Yields of up to 9.75% seen as indicator of investors’ willingness to keep funding AI boom