DeepSeek Secures $15 Billion in Fresh Capital

A Chinese artificial intelligence startup has raised roughly $15 billion in new capital, just days after the United States moved to restrict its technology from federal systems. The financing, reported by Bloomberg, amounts to approximately 100 billion yuan and stands as one of the largest funding rounds ever recorded within the country.

Potential participants in the round include battery manufacturer CATL and Tencent, the technology firm behind WeChat. The report did not specify when the transaction would formally close. DeepSeek did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the matter.

The timing of the raise follows a directive issued by U.S. officials ordering federal civilian agencies to purge DeepSeek's artificial intelligence technology from their networks over security concerns. Despite that friction in the American market, the Hangzhou-based company is expanding its spending on infrastructure and open models for both domestic and international audiences. This push could further heighten competition among rivals operating within China.

This latest injection of capital builds on a series of financial maneuvers by the company throughout the year. In June, the firm completed a funding round raising more than $7 billion at a valuation of $50 billion. By July, reports indicated the company was seeking an additional $1.5 billion at a valuation near $71 billion, alongside plans for a potential public offering in China as early as next year.

The reported deal represents the most recent instance of investors moving billions into artificial intelligence enterprises globally, particularly those based in China, as they vie for advantage in the international AI race. Other companies in the sector have also attracted significant sums. Moonshot AI, developer of Kimi, secured $2 billion in May at a $20 billion valuation, while Manus AI raised over $500 million earlier this month.

The competitive landscape also includes firms that have already entered public markets. Zhipu AI, also known as Z.ai, and MiniMax both listed on the Hong Kong exchange in January. As of today, their respective market capitalizations are approximately $29 billion and $7.2 billion.

DeepSeek was established in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, who previously co-founded the quantitative hedge fund High-Flyer. That fund assisted in financing the startup's initial development. The company drew widespread international attention in early 2025 following the release of its free-to-use, open-weight R1 reasoning model, which challenged the dominance of U.S. artificial intelligence firms.

Following the earlier funding round, Liang continues to hold an estimated 81.6% stake in the Chinese operating entity, according to corporate ownership data analyzed by WireScreen. The company has not disclosed specific dates regarding the closing of this new round or potential changes to its ownership structure resulting from the transaction.