Overview

• SoftBank will buy 87 million newly issued Intel shares at $23 each in a primary sale, taking just under a 2% stake and a top‑10 holding, with no board seat or chip‑purchase commitments and closing subject to customary conditions.
• The White House is considering a roughly 10% Intel stake, Bloomberg reported, including the option to convert up to $10.9 billion in CHIPS Act grants into equity, though no decision has been announced.
• Intel shares rose about 5–7% in after‑hours and premarket trading following the news, while SoftBank fell roughly 4–5% in Tokyo.
• Intel remains under pressure after a $18.8 billion loss in 2024 and significant layoffs as it works to regain ground in AI chips and scale its foundry business.
• Industry analysts warn that potential U.S. ownership could steer domestic tech orders toward Intel and weigh on rivals such as TSMC and Samsung.