From the Editor
- Masayoshi Son founded and runs investment giant SoftBank Group.
- Investors in Son's Vision Fund 1 include Apple, Qualcomm, Foxconn, the family office of billionaire Larry Ellison and Saudi Arabia's sovereign fund.
- The Vision Funds have invested in over 400 companies, including ride-share firm Grab, Korean e-commerce leader Coupang and India's food-delivery platform Swiggy.
- For the year ended March 2024, SoftBank Group reported a $1.7 billion loss, down from $7.3 billion the previous year.
- Son is looking to raise $100 billion to fund an AI chip initiative codenamed Izanagi, named after the Japanese god of creation.
Wealth History
HOVER TO REVEAL NET WORTH BY YEAR
Forbes Lists
Personal Stats
- Age
- 67
- Source of Wealth
- Telecom, Investments, Self Made
- Residence
- Tokyo, Japan
- Citizenship
- Japan
- Marital Status
- Married
- Children
- 2
- Education
- Bachelor of Arts/Science, University of California, Berkeley
Did you know
Son spent more than $100 million on a 9-acre estate in Silicon Valley with a 9,000 square foot mansion.
Son got his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley.
In February 2024, SoftBank Group announced a joint venture with Riyadh-based investment firm Alat, for manufacturing industrial robots.
Related People & Companies
Citizen of Japan
More on Forbes
1 hour ago
Feeling Guilty: Adult Son Hesitates To Spend Mom’s Money On Her Care
Some adult children, used to an aging parent's independence have trouble facing the need for a caregiver. It's expensive. The elder's assets need to be used to pay for it.
ByCarolyn RosenblattContributor
COUNCIL POST| Membership (fee-based)
7 hours ago
Fostering Startup Agility In Large Organizations
Bigger isn’t always better, especially when it comes to execution within an organization.
ByThai Son NguyenForbes Councils Member
Sep 5, 2024
Aging Parent Nightmare: His Son Showed Up, But Then Refused To Leave
Isolated elder fell ill and had no one to call but his abusive son. Son came, but then refused to leave. Legal action helped but the dad had to change his life.
ByCarolyn RosenblattContributor
Sep 4, 2024
Putin Has Two Sons With Former Olympic Gymnast Kabaeva, Report Says—Here’s What We Know
Putin, who has publicly acknowledged his three daughters from an earlier marriage, has denied rumors of a relationship with Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gold medalist.
ByTy RoushForbes Staff
Sep 3, 2024
John McCain’s Son Will Reportedly Support Kamala Harris—Criticizes Trump’s Arlington Appearance
Sen. John McCain’s son Jimmy McCain told CNN Donald Trump’s visit to Arlington Cemetery blew him away.
ByMolly BohannonForbes Staff
Sep 2, 2024
Hong Kong Billionaire Henry Cheng’s Family Office Names Son Christopher As Co-CEO
A Harvard graduate, Christopher Cheng leads Chow Tai f*ck Enterprises with co-CEOs Patrick Tsang and Gilbert Ho.
ByZinnia LeeForbes Staff
Sep 1, 2024
Dusty Baker’s Son Darren Gets Call To MLB From Washington Nationals
Darren Baker, son of Dusty, will make his major-league debut with Washington now that rosters have expanded to 28 players.
ByDan SchlossbergContributor
Aug 23, 2024
The Son Of A Motorsport Legend Will Make His Formula 1 Debut
Formula 1 will welcome one motorsport’s most famous surnames in the paddock next season, with Jack Doohan set to replace Esteban Ocon at Alpine.
ByDan CancianContributor
Aug 14, 2024
Flintoff And Vaughan’s Cricket Sons Could Carry Flags Of Their Fathers
England's Test cricket fortunes changed around the Millennium when Andrew Flintoff and Michael Vaughan entered the scene. Now their sons are making their way in the game.
ByTim EllisContributor
Aug 7, 2024
What Is Angelman Syndrome? Colin Farrell Reveals Son Living With Rare Disorder.
Angelman syndrome is a genetic mutation that impacts roughly one in every 15,000 people.
ByMary Whitfill RoeloffsForbes Staff
Aug 7, 2024
Connor Zilisch: Racing's Prodigal Son Takes On NASCAR's Holy Grail
At 18, Connor Zilisch, perhaps the next motorsports messiah, hopes to shine in the NASCAR Xfinity series with JR Motorsports on a meteoric rise that has only just begun.
ByGreg EngleContributor
Jul 3, 2024
SoftBank Shares Hit Record High Amid Push Into AI And Computer Chips
The climb indicates confidence in the investment titan’s new pivot towards AI and semiconductor chips after CEO Masayoshi Son last month described past commitments as a mere “warm up” for its push into artificial intelligence.
ByRobert HartForbes Staff
Jun 24, 2024
Forbes Daily: Record-High Home Prices Raise Stakes For First-Time Buyers
Monday’s edition of Forbes Daily covers the latest data on housing costs, a pricey Alexa upgrade, Masayoshi Son’s AI dreams, how to shop like Bruce Wayne and more.
ByChris DobstaffForbes Staff
Jun 21, 2024
SoftBank CEO Vows Aggressive AI Push—Calls Past Investments Mere ‘Warm Up’
Storied tech investor Masayoshi Son told shareholders SoftBank’s past investments — which include lucrative stakes in tech giants like Alibaba and Arm Holdings — serve as just a “warm up for my great dream to realize artificial superintelligence.”
ByRobert HartForbes Staff
Feb 14, 2024
Masayoshi Son Gains $8 Billion Thanks To SoftBank Profits, Arm’s Share Surge
The SoftBank founder has a net worth of $28.8 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaire tracker. That’s up from $20.9 billion in May 2023, when he was ranked No. 3 on Japan’s 50 Richest list.
ByCatherine WangForbes Staff
Aug 23, 2023
SoftBank’s $60 Billion-Plus IPO Challenges Masayoshi Son’s ‘Crazy’ Talk
It’s not clear what Masayoshi Son’s real investment vision is these days. That’s a question that no one particular IPO can answer for SoftBank or its investors.
ByWilliam PesekSenior Contributor