(Telecompaper) Japan's SoftBank said it will be selling USD 7.9 billion worth of shares in Alibaba in order to up its own liquidity and pay back debt. The transactions will include the sale of USD 2.0 billion worth of shares to Alibaba, USD 400 million worth of shares to members of the Alibaba Partnership acting collectively and USD 500 of shares to a private equity group, plus another USD 5.0 billion worth, to be offered by a newly formed trust in the form of American depositary shares (ADSs) in a private placement to institutional buyers. There will, in addition, probably be a greenshoe of USD 1.0 billon more worth of shares.