DeepSeek Raises $15B at $74B Valuation, Eyes IPO
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek has raised $15 billion in a financing round at a $74B pre-money valuation, with CATL, Tencent and others as backers, and is reportedly accelerating its IPO timeline.
What we know
An account on X broke the news of DeepSeek's massive $15B raise at a $74B pre-money valuation, with strategic backers including CATL, Tencent, Monolith, Shixiang, Stony Creek Capital and Legend Capital. A follow-up tweet from another account on X noted DeepSeek is now looking to speed up its IPO timeline. This marks one of the largest AI funding events to date and signals intensifying US-China AI competition at the frontier level.
How the story developed
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek has raised $15 billion in a financing round at a $74B pre-money valuation, with CATL, Tencent and others as backers, and is reportedly accelerating its IPO timeline.
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek raised approximately $15 billion — one of China's largest ever funding rounds — with Tencent and CATL among investors. At least one analyst is calling a potential DeepSeek IPO the 'Bitcoin ETF in 2021' moment: a sentiment peak signal.
China formally opposed a US government order restricting DeepSeek, calling it a breach of consensus between heads of state. The US also warned the EU of 'devastating' retaliation over tech restrictions, while Bessent flagged Taiwan chip supply as critical.
China's Foreign Ministry hit back at US agencies removing DeepSeek AI tools, accusing the US of overgeneralizing national security concerns.
By the Global Eye 24 desk, with AI assistance. Updated as the story develops. Spot an error? Write to corrections@globaleye24.com.