Japan’s SoftBank Group said Tuesday it will invest $2 billion in Intel, as Washington reportedly considers taking a 10 percent stake in the struggling US chipmaker.
The announcement marks the latest in a string of US-focused investments by SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son, who has stepped up engagement with President Donald Trump since his return to office.
“This strategic investment reflects our belief that advanced semiconductor manufacturing and supply will further expand in the United States, with Intel playing a critical role,” Son said in a joint statement with Intel.
The move comes amid reports that the Trump administration is weighing a direct government stake in Intel to strengthen the domestic semiconductor industry, which has lost ground to Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung.
Intel Chief Executive Officer Lip-Bu Tan said the partnership highlights shared commitments with SoftBank to advance US technology and manufacturing leadership.
Son has already committed SoftBank to other large-scale US projects, including the $500 billion Stargate initiative — launched in January with Oracle and OpenAI to build next-generation AI infrastructure.
While Trump previously urged Tan to resign over concerns about his ties to Chinese firms, the president recently praised him, calling his success “an amazing story.”
Analysts say SoftBank’s $2 billion outlay is relatively modest but could signal larger bets in the sector. “It suggests the company could invest more in the semiconductor industry as it seeks to be a key participant in the sector’s development,” said Sharon Chen of Bloomberg Intelligence.
