Funding Surge: DeepSeek Secures $15 Billion Despite US Tech Ban

Chinese artificial intelligence developer DeepSeek has reportedly secured approximately $15 billion in new funding, a move that arrives just two days after the United States ordered federal civilian agencies to purge the company's technology from their networks due to security concerns. The timing of the capital raise suggests that international regulatory pressure has not dented investor appetite for the firm's growth potential. The deal represents one of the largest funding rounds ever recorded within China's domestic technology sector.

According to Bloomberg, the financing round involves potential investors including major Chinese battery manufacturer CATL and Tencent, the conglomerate responsible for the WeChat platform. The reported influx of capital follows a series of financial maneuvers by the Hangzhou-based startup over the past several months. In June, DeepSeek raised more than $7 billion at a valuation of $50 billion, while reports from July indicated the company was seeking an additional $1.5 billion at a valuation of approximately $71 billion. The firm has also previously outlined plans for a potential initial public offering in China as early as next year.

The fresh capital is intended to support the expansion of the company's artificial intelligence infrastructure and open-source models for both domestic and international markets. This push for scale comes as the company faces operational restrictions in the United States. Such an expansion could further intensify the competitive landscape among domestic rivals, as DeepSeek ramps up spending to maintain its position in the global AI race.

The massive funding round is the latest indication that investors are pouring billions into artificial intelligence companies worldwide, including those operating in China. The sector has seen significant activity in recent months; for instance, Moonshot AI, the developer of the Kimi model, secured $2 billion in May at a valuation of $20 billion. Earlier this month, Manus AI raised more than $500 million. Furthermore, Chinese companies Zhipu AI (Z.ai) and MiniMax, which listed in Hong Kong in January, hold market capitalizations of roughly $29 billion and $7.2 billion, respectively, as of today.

DeepSeek was established in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, who previously co-founded the quantitative hedge fund High-Flyer. The investment firm assisted in financing the early stages of the AI startup's development. The company captured global attention in early 2025 with the release of its free-to-use, open-weight reasoning model, which challenged the dominance of U.S.-based AI companies. Following the company's earlier funding rounds, corporate ownership data analyzed by WireScreen indicates that Liang retains an estimated 81.6% stake in its Chinese operating entity.

DeepSeek did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the reported funding.