Maaaaan, the Japan situation is crazy. And at the center of it all is the OpenAI Softbank deal, which is becoming the biggest bet in modern tech history.

On Tuesday, Japanese investment group SoftBank confirmed it completed a $41 Bn investment into OpenAI, one of the largest private funding rounds ever, giving it an 11% stake in the ChatGPT maker.

The deal values OpenAI at about $300 Bn post-money, though secondary transactions later pushed that figure closer to $500 billion, according to PitchBook. Meanwhile, a new crypto presale is printing money heading into 2026; here’s what you need to know:

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OpenAI Softbank Deal: Will It Save Japan’s Economy?

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As a new Japanese resident, the first time I visited Japan years ago, one euro was equivalent to around 120 yen. Now it’s like 185 yen. It’s a theme park for us.

For SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, this investment marks an explicit “all-in” moment amid Japan’s economic downturn. WTF is Japan doing?

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The arithmetic for Japan’s economy is merciless:

  • Yen just fell to all-time lows against EUR, GBP, approaching lows in USD, CAD, AUD, according to TradingView.
  • BoJ rate hike did nothing to stop the bleeding
  • Wages are low and inflation out of control
  • Takaichi announced a stimulus package (turning on the money printer)
Image
(Source: X)

Meanwhile, all of this comes as Softbank followed its initial $7.5 Bn investment in April with an additional $22.5 Bn, alongside $11 Bn in syndicated co-investment from other backers.

AI spending has become the organizing principle of global capital markets in late 2025, and OpenAI sits at the center of that gravitational pull.

My guess is Japan will blow out with a massive collapse of the yen and it’ll be an awakening to people where debt has been a handwaving exercise for years. AI and blockchain are two of the few bets that Japanese companies can make as their economy continues to slip.

Is Maxi Doge The Next Shiba Inu or MOG?

While Softbank makes a huge AI bet, Maxi Doge (MAXI) is aiming for the pet-themed meme-coin throne by pairing Dogecoin’s irreverent branding with utility closer to what you’d expect from a modern Ethereum project.

The presale has already pulled in over $4.4M at a token price of $$0.000276, and the team is leaning hard into a mix of comedy and calculated incentives.

Approximately a quarter of the total supply is reserved for community rewards and partnerships with high-leverage trading platforms, providing MAXI with a built-in engine for speculation and user engagement. Holders can also stake their tokens for triple-digit annual yields, over 100%.

It’s still a meme coin at heart, but MAXI’s structure shows it could be more.

Visit MAXI Here

EXPLORE: BGB Coin, OKB Token, HYPE Crypto Won 2025: Utility Will Win 2026

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Key Takeaways

  • For SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son, this investment marks an explicit “all-in” moment amid Japan’s economic downturn.
  • The Maxi Doge presale has already pulled in over $4.2 Mn at a token price of $0.000271.

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Isaiah Mccall
Isaiah Mccall
99BTC Japan Correspondent

Isaiah McCall is an ultramarathon runner and Japan Correspondent for 99Bitcoins. He started at USAToday in 2019 and now has a Medium blog following of 30k+ and millions of views. Follow him at @AfroReporter Read More

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