
DeepSeek reportedly pauses new fundraising after leaked founder meeting
The controversy stems from a transcript of what was described as a nearly four-hour closed-door investor session in mid-July.

The controversy stems from a transcript of what was described as a nearly four-hour closed-door investor session in mid-July.

DeepSeek reportedly generates annualized revenue of $400 million to $500 million, with gross margins exceeding 50% on its flagship API business.

Investors receive no voting rights and are subject to a five-year lockup period during which their holdings cannot be transferred.

Founder and chief executive Liang Wenfeng has pledged 20 billion yuan of personal capital, accounting for roughly 40% of the round, the report said.

This comes as competition among the country’s large language model developers intensifies, driving demand for capital to secure compute, attract talent and accelerate commercialization.

Beyond the Big Chip Fund, talks reportedly include major internet players such as Alibaba and Tencent, alongside other state-backed investors.

On a look-through basis, Liang Wenfeng controls about 84.29% of DeepSeek, maintaining effective control of the company.