DeepSeek Reportedly Halts Second Funding Round Planned to Raise at Least 10 Billion Yuan

According to a report from QbitAI on July 27, 2026, Chinese AI company DeepSeek has been reported to have halted the signing of its second funding round. The round was originally planned to raise at least 10 billion yuan.

The news has drawn significant attention across the industry. DeepSeek previously gained substantial reputation in the global AI community for its high-performance large language models, and its first funding round attracted top-tier venture capital. The sudden halt of a second round appears unusual from a business perspective.

The reasons for stopping the fundraising remain unclear. Some analysts suggest the company may be confident in its cash reserves, while others point to a possible strategic reassessment. DeepSeek has not yet issued an official statement.

Notably, several of DeepSeek's previous model releases generated significant impact in the open-source community, with their model architecture and training efficiency becoming focal points for industry research. The company's technical confidence may also be influencing its capital strategy.

At 10 billion yuan, the fundraising would have placed DeepSeek among the highest-valued AI companies in China. The decision to pause suggests management has a distinct view on current capital market conditions and the company's growth trajectory.

The industry will be watching for DeepSeek's next moves, particularly whether it will restart fundraising or adopt a new business model. This event could also reshape fundraising expectations for other AI startups in the region.