SoftBank Group Corp. has announced a definitive agreement to acquire ABB Ltd.’s robotics business in a deal valued at $5.4 billion (¥818.7 billion), marking one of the largest technology acquisitions of 2025.
Under the agreement, ABB will divest its Robotics division to SoftBank, abandoning its earlier plan to spin off the business as a separate publicly listed entity. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close between mid and late 2026.
Commenting on the development, ABB CEO Morten Wierod said:
“SoftBank will be an excellent new home for the business and its employees. ABB and SoftBank share the same perspective that the world is entering a new era of AI-based robotics and believe that the division and SoftBank’s robotics offering can best shape this era together.”
Wierod added that the deal would allow ABB Robotics to leverage SoftBank’s strengths in AI, robotics, and next-generation computing, combining them with ABB’s deep industry expertise to reinforce its leadership in automation technologies.
The acquisition aligns with SoftBank’s broader strategy to expand its footprint in AI-driven robotics, building on its earlier investments in humanoid and industrial robotic systems.
Once completed, the deal is expected to significantly strengthen SoftBank’s position in advanced automation, manufacturing robotics, and AI integration, while ABB will focus on its remaining core businesses in electrification, motion, and process automation.
