DeepSeek slated to raise $7 billion in maiden funding round, sources say
Liang Wenfeng is committing 20 billion yuan as the startup shifts from research to commercial products and seeks a revenue engine.
- On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek finalized a funding round of over 50 billion yuan , valuing the company at just under $60 billion.
- Founder Liang Wenfeng committed 20 billion yuan of his own capital to the round, retaining control as DeepSeek transitions from a research-focused lab into a commercial entity.
- Tech conglomerate Tencent Holdings is considering 10 billion yuan for distribution, while battery giant CATL eyes 5 billion yuan to support energy infrastructure for large-scale compute.
- Domestic strategic money drives this round, as American export controls on advanced chips restrict the startup's access to global venture capital sources.
- DeepSeek plans to use the capital to accelerate revenue efforts, though its valuation remains a fraction of American giants like OpenAI and Anthropic.
41 Articles
41 Articles
DeepSeek nears $7B haul in first raise
Chinese AI phenom DeepSeek is closing in on a $7.4 billion funding round, at around a $52 billion valuation, in one of the country’s largest startup raises. Tech giant Tencent and battery pioneer CATL are reportedly among the investors in the maiden fundraise, along with a state-backed AI investment fund. DeepSeek and other Chinese startups are increasingly looking to take on Silicon Valley, using cheaper costs as their main selling point. A cor…
Sapo
The Chinese DeepSeek is completing a financing round of up to $7.4 billion (EUR 6.3 billion), one of the largest venture capital operations ever in China, according to Bloomberg. According to the news agency, which cites anonymous sources, the main investors in the operation are the Chinese technology giant Tencent and the manufacturer of batteries for CATL electric vehicles, with the support of a Chinese state fund dedicated to the development …
Company became China's national AI champion and gained global fame in early 2025
DeepSeek slated to draw $7 billion in maiden fundraising
CHINESE artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek is set to raise about 50 billion yuan ($7.4 billion) in its first funding round from investors including Tencent Holdings and CATL, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 48% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
