China blocks SoftBank's purchase of ABB's robotics business there

What happened

China has prohibited SoftBank Group's planned purchase of ABB's robotics business in China, ABB said on Thursday 5 November, a year after the two agreed a $5.375 billion deal. ^{[1, 4, 5]}

SoftBank said on Friday 6 November that it received the notice on Wednesday 4 November. SoftBank runs the process of getting the deal's approvals, and both companies said they are 'working constructively on the transaction.' Neither statement announced an end to the agreement or a new timetable. ^{[1, 2, 4]}

Why it matters

China is the division's biggest market, and more than 90 percent of the robots ABB sells to Chinese customers are made in China, Silicon UK reported. The division has about 7,000 people and had 2024 revenues of $2.3 billion, about 7 percent of the group's, ABB said in 2025. ^{[6, 3]}

Ash Sharma of Interact Analysis, a market research firm, told The Robot Report that separating the Chinese operation from a deal this size 'would be extremely challenging.' ^[7]

Which Chinese body acted

The sources differ on the body. ABB's and SoftBank's own statements name the Office of the Working Mechanism for Foreign Investment Security Review. The Financial Times, as reported by Robotics 24/7 and Silicon UK, said the National Development and Reform Commission, China's state planner, told SoftBank. ^{[1, 2, 6]}

The deal had already cleared a competition review in China, Silicon UK reported. The security review was concerned with robotics data leaving the country, where it could train AI models, the FT reported according to Silicon UK. Both companies declined to comment further, Robotics 24/7 reported. ^{[6, 1]}

What settles it next

The October 2025 terms expected the deal to close in mid-to-late 2026. On closing, ABB expected cash proceeds of about $5.3 billion after costs and a pre-tax book gain of about $2.4 billion. SoftBank said it 'will promptly announce any decisions on matters requiring disclosure.' ^{[3, 2]}

SoftBank's results for the six months to Wednesday 30 September are scheduled for Tuesday 10 November at 3:30 p.m. Tokyo time, with a briefing an hour later, its investor relations notice says. ^[8]

Who it reaches

ABB and SoftBank Group are the parties, and the prohibition covers the robotics business in China, both companies said. Neither has a US-listed file on this site. ^{[1, 2]}