The plan to sell ABB's robotics business in China to SoftBank Group is not expected to proceed because regulatory approval was not obtained. ABB had announced the sale agreement, but approval from the Chinese side was a prerequisite.
ABB announced that it had entered into an agreement in October 2025 to sell its robotics division to SoftBank Group. The agreement was valued at $5.375 billion and was to proceed subject to regulatory approval.
It was reported that Chinese regulators had not granted approval in connection with the transaction, and that SoftBank was handling the sale process. As a result, the transaction could not close without approval.
ABB said it would continue to consult closely with SoftBank and work constructively toward completing the transaction, but the lack of approval from the Chinese authorities has increased the likelihood that the transaction will not close.
The article does not specify a timeframe for further updates, and the situation may change depending on the regulators' decision.