China Blocks SoftBank's Bid for ABB Robotics
Beijing's National Development and Reform Commission will not approve the $5.375 billion purchase of ABB's robotics division.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Robotics
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China's National Development and Reform Commission informed SoftBank it will not approve its purchase of ABB's robotics division, a deal valued at an enterprise value of $5.375 billion. Neither SoftBank nor ABB has published a plan for what comes next.
Why it matters
The rejection blocks a deal that would have given SoftBank more than 7,000 engineers and roughly 500,000 installed robots, and it signals how Beijing weighs foreign control of robotics capacity. As domestic manufacturers gained share, the decision shapes who supplies industrial automation in the world's largest robotics market.
The deal covered ABB's robotics unit at an enterprise value of $5.375 billion and a team of more than 2,000 people at its China manufacturing hub. The rejection leaves open whether a restructured offer could win a second review, and no revised terms have been disclosed.
The players
SoftBank
SoftBank is a Japanese technology investment conglomerate led by Masayoshi Son, known for large bets on robotics, AI and emerging technology companies.
ABB
ABB is a Swiss-Swedish industrial technology group and one of the world's largest suppliers of industrial robots and automation equipment.
National Development and Reform Commission
The National Development and Reform Commission is China's top state economic planning body, which reviews major foreign investment and acquisitions.
The details
China's National Development and Reform Commission told SoftBank it would not approve the purchase, which was signed on October 8, 2025. The European Commission had cleared the transaction without conditions in March, and China has separately barred state data centers from buying Nvidia chips.
Timeline
October 8, 2025: SoftBank signs the deal for ABB's robotics unit.
March 2026: The European Commission clears the transaction without conditions.
November 5, 2026: China's rejection of the deal is reported.
The Tech Race
Beijing's refusal reflects its push to build domestic robotics champions, as local manufacturers' share of the industrial robotics market climbed from 47% to 58% in 2024. The decision places the deal inside a wider contest over who controls automation technology in the world's largest market.
Companies that buy industrial robots could see shifts in which suppliers are available in China, depending on how the market reorganizes. SoftBank and ABB have not said whether either will pursue a revised deal.
The takeaway
Foreign deals in strategic industries now carry regulatory risk even after other major regulators approve them. Companies planning cross-border robotics acquisitions should weigh the review standards of China alongside those of Europe and the United States.
Further reading
For more on the machines and companies shaping automation, see the Robotics section.
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