SoftBank clears FTC process in its $6.5B acquisition of Ampere

SoftBank (OTCPK:SFTBY)(OTCPK:SFTBF) has received an early termination from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in its $6.5B cash acquisition of Ampere, a semiconductor firm located in Santa Clara, Calif.

The early termination notice signals that the FTC has completed its review process of the transaction, and it is clear to proceed with the deal. SoftBank had expected the transaction to close by the end of 2025.

The development will help Japan-based SoftBank expand its investments in AI infrastructure in businesses like Stargate and Cristal Intelligence, strengthening its capabilities in strategic areas and accelerating its growth plans.

SoftBank has extended its reach across the spectrum of AI computing. The company is also a majority owner of Arm Holdings (ARM) and a primary backer of OpenAI (OPENAI).

Ampere specializes in cloud-native computing and sustainable AI compute, offering products for various cloud workloads from edge to data center.