China’s DeepSeek has raised more than 50 billion yuan (about $7.4 billion) in a new funding round, according to The Reuters. The deal values the AI startup at over $50 billion and uses a structure that keeps strong control with founder Liang Wenfeng.
Instead of investing directly into the company, investors place their money into a limited partnership managed by the CEO. This means funding flows in, but control stays outside the main company structure. The approach is designed to protect decision-making power at the founder level while still attracting large capital.
🇨🇳 Deepseek raised $7.4B in latest funding :
– Founder Liang Wenfeng is reportedly investing $2.8B himself, one of the largest founder-backed investments in AI history
– Reported investors include Tencent ($1.5B), CATL ($740M), JD, NetEase, IDG Capital & China’s National AI… pic.twitter.com/hqvnA90x5T
— OpenlabX (@openlabxorg) June 16, 2026
Do DeepSeek investors get voting rights or full access to the company?
Investors in this round do not receive voting rights and are also subject to a five-year lock-up period, meaning they cannot exit their investment during that time. This reduces investor influence inside the company while locking in long-term capital.
There is one exception. China’s National Artificial Intelligence Industry Investment Fund reportedly invests directly in DeepSeek and retains voting rights, without the same lock-up limits. Other major backers include Tencent, which is considering a 10 billion yuan investment, and CATL, which is reportedly looking at 5 billion yuan. Founder Liang Wenfeng himself is said to have committed around 20 billion yuan.
What does this deal structure mean for the wider AI industry?
The funding model shows a trend in major AI companies where capital raising and control are being separated. Instead of traditional equity ownership, companies are using structured vehicles that limit investor power while still raising large sums.
DeepSeek has gained global attention after its V3 and R1 models challenged expectations about China’s AI capabilities. The new structure shows how AI startups are competing for funding while keeping tight control over strategy and direction. It also highlights increasing competition in global AI development, where funding scale and governance design are becoming just as important as the technology itself.
Notably, AI-fueled crypto adoption is on the rise globally. xPortal, an AI-powered DeFi super-app, recently acquired Berlin-based Web3 startup Alphalink to bolster its platform’s simplifying cryptocurrency and financial investing capabilities.
Enjoyed this? Bookmark DeFi Planet, explore related topics, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and CoinMarketCap Community for seamless access to high-quality industry insights.
Take control of your crypto portfolio with DEFI PLANET PRO, DeFi Planet’s suite of analytics tools.
