DeepSeek reportedly raises $15B days after US restrictions
Chinese artificial intelligence lab DeepSeek has secured about $15 billion in funding, according to a Bloomberg report. The financing arrives just two days after the U.S. government ordered federal civilian agencies to remove the company's technology over security concerns.
Chinese artificial intelligence lab DeepSeek has secured about $15 billion in funding, according to a Bloomberg report. The financing arrives just two days after the U.S. government ordered federal civilian agencies to remove the company's technology over security concerns. Potential investors in the roughly 100 billion yuan round include Tencent and battery maker CATL, the report stated.
This follows a June investment round where DeepSeek raised more than $7 billion at a $50 billion valuation. The Hangzhou-based startup previously sought an additional $1.5 billion in July at a $71 billion valuation, alongside plans for a possible public offering in China next year. The company plans to use the capital to increase spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure and open models for global and domestic markets.
Founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek gained international prominence in early 2025 by releasing a free open-weight reasoning model that challenged American AI dominance. The massive financing highlights a broader trend of global investors pouring billions into artificial intelligence firms. Other Chinese developers, including Moonshot AI and Manus AI, have also secured substantial funding rounds recently, while competitors Zhipu AI and MiniMax went public in Hong Kong.
DeepSeek did not immediately respond to a request
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Original publication: 22 October 2026 18:41