SoftBank confirms that Arm is for sale

SoftBank has announced that it is considering selling chip designer Arm. The company also confirms that there is interest, without saying from whom. Rumors have it that talks with Nvidia are well advanced.

Masayoshi Son, CEO of the Japanese group SoftBank, confirmed during the discussion of the quarterly figures that the company is considering selling Arm. Selling the entire company or part of it is an option, says the CEO.

Another option is to bring the company to the stock exchange early. Arm was previously listed on the stock exchange, but when SoftBank took over the chip designer in 2016, the company was taken off the stock exchange. SoftBank then set the goal to grow the company and bring it back to the stock exchange in 2023. That can be brought forward, says Son.

The CEO says that SoftBank wants to look closely at the best options. In mid-July, it was announced that SoftBank is considering selling Arm. A week later, rumors emerged that Nvidia is interested, and in late July, sources said there are advanced talks between SoftBank and Nvidia. However, an acquisition of Arm by Nvidia can be difficult due to competition rules. Many companies depend on the licenses they purchase from Arm to make chips. Nvidia is one of those buyers.