DeepSeek set to raise at least $12 bln in Tencent, CATL-led round- Bloomberg

Chinese AI company DeepSeek is poised to secure over $12 billion in funding through a round of investments led by Tencent and CATL, according to Bloomberg. The company initially aimed to raise 50 billion yuan, but the actual amount expected is significantly higher, with the final total potentially reaching 100 billion yuan. DeepSeek, known for its R1 open-source AI model launched in early 2025, has garnered praise for its flagship V4 models, which boast performance comparable to top AI systems like OpenAI and Anthropic while being much more cost-effective.

The startup's valuation was recently estimated at around $74 billion, though this figure predates Bloomberg's latest report. As DeepSeek considers a potential public listing, investors are keeping a close eye on the company's ambitious growth plans.