ME News reports that on June 16 (UTC+8), according to monitoring by Beating, China’s AI lab DeepSeek has completed its first round of financing exceeding RMB 50 billion (approximately USD 7.4 billion), with a valuation surpassing USD 5 billion. This financing utilized an unconventional transaction structure: external investors did not invest directly in DeepSeek but instead contributed capital to a limited partnership managed by CEO Liang Wenheng, ensuring the founders retain absolute control over the company. All investors, except for national-level funds, are subject to a five-year lock-up period during which their shares cannot be transferred or sold. In terms of funding sources, founder Liang Wenheng personally invested RMB 20 billion, Tencent invested RMB 10 billion, CATL invested RMB 5 billion, and JD.com, NetEase, and IDG Capital each invested RMB 3 billion. The sole exception is China’s National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund, which directly invested RMB 1 billion into DeepSeek, holding voting rights and exempt from the five-year lock-up. All external investors, excluding the national fund, have no voting rights; they are granted access to specific financial information and priority rights in future financing rounds. This new financing round marks a significant shift in DeepSeek’s operational model. Since its founding in 2023 as an AI team under Huafang Quantitative, DeepSeek had operated solely on internal funds, preserving research independence due to the absence of commercial pressures. However, facing mounting financial and talent retention challenges, Liang Wenheng and his team initiated fundraising in April and rigorously vetted the ultimate beneficial owners behind investors to prevent equity from falling into the hands of unknown parties. (Source: BlockBeats)
DeepSeek Completes Over $7.4 Billion in Series A Funding, Valued at $50 Billion with Founder Retaining Full Control
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Summary
On June 16 (UTC+8), DeepSeek announced a partnership securing over $7.4 billion in Series A funding, valuing the company at $50 billion. The round, structured as a limited partnership managed by CEO Liang Wenfeng, enables the founder to maintain full control. Liang invested $20 billion, Tencent $10 billion, and CATL $5 billion. JD, NetEase, and IDG Capital each contributed $3 billion. The China National AI Industry Investment Fund added $1 billion with voting rights and no five-year lock-up. This on-chain announcement represents a major turning point for DeepSeek, which had previously operated solely on internal funding since its 2023 launch under Huanfang Quantitative.
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