# Deepseek raises $12‑$15 billion, eyes 2027 IPO

> Chinese AI startup Deepseek is close to a $12‑$15 billion funding round backed by CAT and Tencent, and plans an IPO in early 2027.

Oossa · 2026-10-06 · https://oossa.com/en/deepseek-raises-12-15-billion-eyes-2027-ipo

Deepseek, a Chinese artificial‑intelligence startup, is near the end of a new financing round that could bring in at least $12 billion and possibly as much as $15 billion. Battery maker CATL and internet giant Tencent are said to be the largest contributors. The money will fund a data centre built around 160,000 AI chips supplied by Huawei and help the company get ready for an initial public offering (IPO) in early 2027.

## Why the round matters now

Deepseek’s latest model, V4‑Flash, has been reported to beat rivals such as Anthropic and OpenAI on cost and performance. The company also says it wants to keep releasing open‑source models with freely available weights, even as it works on its own inference chip to lessen reliance on Nvidia and Huawei.

## The facts

- Deepseek is close to raising at least $12 billion in the current round, with some sources saying the total could reach $15 billion.
- The round was originally aimed at $7.5 billion and a $75 billion valuation.
- CATL and Tencent are the biggest investors in the new round.
- Deepseek plans an IPO in early 2027 after the financing closes.
- The company is building a data centre with at least 160,000 AI chips from Huawei.

## Why it matters

If Deepseek secures the funding, it could scale up its AI services and compete more directly with Western firms, potentially lowering the cost of AI tools for Chinese businesses. The planned 2027 IPO may also open a new avenue for investors to back a non‑U.S. AI player. It remains unclear how quickly the company’s own chips will reduce dependence on Nvidia.

## Sources & references

1. [CATL and Tencent back Deepseek's ballooning funding round as the AI startup eyes a 2027 IPO](https://the-decoder.com/catl-and-tencent-back-deepseeks-ballooning-funding-round-as-the-ai-startup-eyes-a-2027-ipo/) – The Decoder, 2026-10-06
2. [DeepSeek considers doubling latest funding round to up to $15 billion, sources say](https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/06/deepseek-funding-round.html) – CNBC, 2026-10-06

Last updated: 2026-10-06