Masayoshi Son Now Owes SoftBank $5.1 Billion on Side Deals

Billionaire personally exposed to startup valuation falls
SoftBank still playing defense as losses on tech bets mount

WATCH: SoftBank posted a net loss of $5.9 billion for the December quarter, far short of analyst estimates. Min Jeong Lee reports.Source: Bloomberg

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By Min-Jeong Lee, Pei Yi Mak, and Takahiko Hyuga

February 8, 2023 at 6:05 AM UTC

Updated on

February 8, 2023 at 6:34 AM UTC

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Masayoshi Son is now personally on the hook for about $5.1 billion on side deals he set up at SoftBank Group Corp. to boost his compensation, as losses mounted at its core Vision Fund venture capital arm.

Son, whose stake in SoftBank grew in recent months, also owns portions of the company’s key investment vehicles. While these holdings have sparked controversy due to corporate governance concerns, the Japanese billionaire has denied any conflict of interest.