According to multiple reports, the company is seeking to raise about 50 billion yuan (around $7.4 billion), which could value DeepSeek at between 350 billion yuan and 400 billion yuan ($52–59 billion). The round is expected to include investments from Chinese technology giant Tencent, battery maker CATL, and state-backed investment funds. Founder Liang Wenfeng is also expected to contribute a substantial portion of the capital himself.
The fundraising marks a significant shift for DeepSeek, which had previously relied largely on funding from Liang’s hedge fund and had avoided taking outside capital.
DeepSeek emerged as one of the most closely watched AI companies globally after its V3 and R1 models drew attention for delivering strong performance at relatively low cost, challenging assumptions about China’s position in the AI race. The company has since been expanding its efforts in next-generation AI systems and autonomous AI agents.
The proposed funding comes amid an intense global battle among AI companies to secure capital for computing infrastructure, talent and model development. In recent months, major AI firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic have also raised or sought tens of billions of dollars to fund their expansion plans.
If completed, the deal would rank among the largest private AI financings globally and could further strengthen DeepSeek’s position as China’s leading AI challenger at a time when US export restrictions continue to limit Chinese access to advanced AI chips.
