China has blocked SoftBank Group’s proposed $5.4 billion acquisition of ABB’s robotics business, dealing a significant setback to the Japanese technology investor’s plans to expand its presence in industrial robotics and physical artificial intelligence.
The decision was confirmed by ABB on November 5, according to reports by The Japan Times and Silicon UK, following a Chinese government review of the transaction on national security grounds.
The acquisition, announced in October 2025, would have given SoftBank control of one of the world’s leading industrial robotics manufacturers, with more than 7,000 employees and an established customer base across automotive manufacturing and other industries. [Read more…] about China blocks SoftBank’s $5.4 billion takeover of ABB Robotics
