DeepSeek Nears $12B-Plus Funding Round Ahead of 2027 IPO

DeepSeek is nearing at least $12 billion in new funding as investor demand accelerates following the release of its latest AI model, according to Bloomberg.
Tencent and battery giant CATL are among the largest investors. Signed term sheets could push the final round toward 100 billion yuan, or roughly $15 billion, after DeepSeek initially targeted around $7.5 billion. The company had sought a valuation of approximately 500 billion yuan, or $75 billion.
After the financing closes, DeepSeek is expected to begin restructuring for a potential 2027 IPO. The new capital will also support its rapidly expanding AI infrastructure, including plans to deploy at least 160,000 high-end Huawei AI accelerators at a new data center in Inner Mongolia.
The financing would position DeepSeek alongside Moonshot AI as one of China's most closely watched potential technology listings of 2027.