SoftBank Group reported a net profit of 5.022 trillion yen for the fiscal year ending March 2026, the highest ever for a Japanese company [1].
The result marks a massive shift in the conglomerate's financial trajectory. By pivoting heavily toward artificial intelligence, SoftBank has transformed its portfolio from a broad tech bet into a concentrated AI powerhouse, signaling a new era of dominance in the global AI infrastructure race.
The company's net profit for the period surged from 1.1533 trillion yen the previous year [1]. This represents an increase of approximately 4.3 times over the prior fiscal year [1]. The current profit also surpasses the previous high of 4.9879 trillion yen recorded in the 2020 fiscal year [2].
Investment gains from AI-related firms drove the growth, with the U.S.-based OpenAI playing a pivotal role. Profits from the OpenAI investment accounted for approximately 90% of the total AI-related gains [2]. This windfall followed a surge in OpenAI's corporate value, which expanded roughly three times within a single year [2].
SoftBank is continuing its aggressive expansion into the sector. The company expects its cumulative AI investments to reach approximately 10 trillion yen by October 2026 [2].
Yoshimitsu Goto, the SoftBank Group CFO, said the company has made steady progress toward its goal of becoming the number one platformer for Artificial Superintelligence, or ASI [3].
“the highest ever for a Japanese company”
SoftBank's record-breaking profit underscores the immense financial leverage provided by early, high-stakes bets on generative AI leaders. By tethering its success so closely to OpenAI, SoftBank has moved beyond a traditional venture capital model to become a primary financial engine for the AI revolution. The goal of achieving 'Artificial Superintelligence' (ASI) suggests the company is no longer targeting incremental software growth, but is instead betting on a fundamental shift in global computing power.
