Chinese AI startup DeepSeek valued at about $52 billion as it eyes new funding and IPO

AI startup DeepSeek, based in Hangzhou, China, has been disclosed to be valued at roughly 350.9 billion yuan (about $51.8 billion). A filing showed an investment fund purchased an indirect 0.83 % stake for 2.9 billion yuan, marking the company’s first external financing round.

The company plans to raise about 50 billion yuan ($7.4 billion) from investors that include Tencent and battery maker CATL, and is preparing a second 50 billion yuan round. DeepSeek also intends to list on Shanghai’s STAR Market and file for an IPO later this year. Its low‑cost V3 and R1 models have drawn attention as a Chinese challenge to U.S. AI firms amid export‑control tensions.

The valuation and fundraising moves reflect the escalating investment demands of the global AI race, as firms expand computing capacity, chip procurement, and talent recruitment.