ABB and SoftBank Explore China Carve-Out for Blocked Robotics Deal

ABB and SoftBank are exploring ways to salvage the $5.375 billion purchase of ABB’s robotics business, including a possible carve-out of the Chinese portion after China blocked the deal last week.

SoftBank agreed in October 2025 to buy the unit. The unit has a workforce of more than 7,000 and supplies industrial robots and equipment to manufacturers such as BMW. China is ABB’s largest market for the business, so the proposed carve-out would separate the deal’s largest geographic market from the planned purchase.

Chinese authorities blocked the acquisition last week. SoftBank had linked the transaction to its effort to expand in artificial intelligence. TokenPost previously covered the blocked acquisition. SoftBank had identified an office under China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) as the authority that prohibited the purchase; the office handles foreign investment security reviews. The carve-out is one option the companies are exploring to keep a broader transaction alive.