China Halts SoftBank's $5.4 Billion Acquisition of ABB Robotics Division

11/05/2026

China's state planner has told Japanese investor SoftBank it will not allow its $5.4 billion acquisition of the robotics business of Swiss engineering group ABB to go ahead, ABB said on Thursday.

11/05/2026

China’s state planner has told Japanese investor SoftBank it will not allow the US$5.4 billion acquisition ‌of the robotics segment of engineering group ABB to go ahead, the Swiss firm said on...

11/05/2026

Softbank had agreed to buy ABB's robotics business in October last year, as CEO Masayoshi Son sought to establish SoftBank as a core player in the development of artificial intelligence.

11/05/2026

China blocks SoftBank’s US$5.4 billion ABB robotics takeover amid tighter scrutiny of foreign investment and AI-related data transfers.

11/05/2026

SoftBank Robotics develops humanoid and service robots. SoftBank said the acquisition would broaden its industrial automation capabilities.

11/05/2026

China has blocked SoftBank Group Corp.’s deal to acquire ABB Ltd.’s robots unit, the Financial Times reported, citing unidentified people.

11/05/2026

Chinese regulators have rejected SoftBank Group’s attempted $5.4 billion purchase of ABB’s robotics division, ABB has stated. This blocks a deal that sits at the center of SoftBank founder...

11/05/2026

Sources told the Financial Times that authorities are concerned about assets being exported to Japan.

11/05/2026

Beijing is seeking to keep AI data and expertise developed at home from leaking abroad.