Just two days after the U.S. ordered federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek’s AI technology from their systems over security concerns, the Chinese AI lab has raised about $15 billion (approximately 100 billion yuan), marking one of the biggest funding rounds in the country, according to Bloomberg.
Potential Investors
Potential investors include:
- CATL, a Chinese battery maker
- Tencent, the company behind WeChat
This reported funding follows DeepSeek’s investment round in June, when it raised more than $7 billion at a valuation of $50 billion. The company was also reportedly seeking an additional $1.5 billion at a valuation of around $71 billion in July, with plans for a potential IPO in China as early as next year.
Expansion Plans
The Hangzhou-based AI startup is ramping up spending on AI infrastructure and open models for both domestic and international markets, despite facing restrictions in the U.S. This expansion could further intensify competition among domestic rivals.
