Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has reportedly secured approximately $15 billion, equivalent to about ¥100 billion, in a new funding round. This development follows a U.S. government directive issued two days prior, which ordered federal civilian agencies to remove the company's technology from their systems due to security concerns.
Potential participants in this financing round include battery manufacturer CATL and technology conglomerate Tencent. This capital injection follows a June round where the firm raised over $7 billion at a valuation of $50 billion. In July, the company reportedly sought an additional $1.5 billion at a valuation of $71 billion.
Founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, the Hangzhou-based startup plans to utilize the funds to expand its AI infrastructure and open-source models. The company is also considering an IPO in China as early as next year. Liang Wenfeng retains an estimated 81.6 percent stake in the Chinese operating entity.
The broader Chinese AI sector continues to attract significant capital. Moonshot AI raised $2 billion in May at a valuation of $20 billion, while Manus AI secured over $500 million earlier this month. Additionally, Zhipu AI and MiniMax, which went public in Hong Kong in January, currently hold market capitalizations of $29 billion and $7.2 billion respectively.
