DeepSeek announced it is conducting a 70 billion yuan (about $10 billion) funding round to focus on artificial general intelligence (AGI) research rather than immediate commercialization efforts as of May 22, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The startup’s senior management communicated to investors that they will prioritize pushing technological boundaries over monetization outcomes [1, 2, 3, 4].
Founder Liang Wenfeng, known for promoting a research-first approach to AI, pledged in meetings to continue developing open-source AI models while pursuing the broader goal of AGI, according to an anonymous insider [2]. The insider said, “He made it clear the main goal is to push the boundaries of the technology rather than monetisation.” [2] DeepSeek’s approach has influenced other Chinese firms such as Alibaba with its Qwen platform [2, 3].
The funding round could value DeepSeek at about $45 billion before the investment [2, 3, 4]. Potential investors include the National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund, Tencent Holdings, IDG Capital, and Monolith Capital [2, 3, 4]. Discussions on exact amounts and final participants are still ongoing and may change [2, 3]. The National AI Industry Investment Fund is reportedly negotiating to invest around 10 billion yuan [4].
DeepSeek disrupted Silicon Valley in 2025 with its significantly cheaper AI model. This funding drive aims to build on that momentum by advancing fundamental AI capabilities rather than short-term commercial goals [2, 3].
The company’s management informed investors about the funding plans and research priorities during talks on May 22, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
