// AI hot topic · 2026-W41 #8 · Finance
DeepSeek funding: hotspot #8 of 2026-W41, covered by 2 outlets, first reported on 2026-10-08 (Beijing time). Below: what happened, why it matters, a dated timeline of all 3 sources, and the models, prices and tools involved.
Week 2026-10-05 – 2026-10-11Updated 2026-10-26Sources: official & media reports only
Unconfirmed Reported by media citing unnamed sources; no official confirmation yet.
Citing Bloomberg on 6 October, TechNode said DeepSeek is close to raising at least RMB80bn (~$12bn), with Tencent and CATL among the largest investors, up from an initial target of about RMB50bn. Bloomberg also reported Kuaishou's Kling AI has picked banks for a Hong Kong IPO of at least $1bn.
If DeepSeek, long self-funded, takes outside money it reshapes China's model-funding landscape; a Kling listing would test AI-video commercialisation.
Chinese model makers, Hong Kong investors, and Tencent and Kuaishou shareholders.
Written from the 3 reports below (2026-10-08 – 2026-10-08, Beijing time). We add no facts beyond what the sources say.
Oldest first. Headlines are in the original language and link to the original article.
Weekly hotspots with DeepSeek in the headline, in order.
Open-source repos: DeepSeek on GitHub
Bloomberg: DeepSeek raises $15 billion
2026-W42 · #9 · GeneralAgents shut out: 155 apps opt out of Doubao's phone automation as websites block AI agents
2026-W43 · #10 · BusinessOpenAI races to raise about $30bn before Anthropic's IPO
2026-W41 · #6 · FinanceReport says OpenAI's annualised revenue is ~$20bn below earlier signals; AI stocks fall
2026-W41 · #7 · BusinessManus raises over $500m after China blocked Meta's acquisition
2026-W41 · #10 · FinanceSouth Korea probes possible AI use in bank hacks that exposed ~25,000 customers
Citing Bloomberg on 6 October, TechNode said DeepSeek is close to raising at least RMB80bn (~$12bn), with Tencent and CATL among the largest investors, up from an initial target of about RMB50bn. Bloomberg also reported Kuaishou's Kling AI has picked banks for a Hong Kong IPO of at least $1bn.
The first report we collected was on 2026-10-08 (Beijing time), the latest on 2026-10-08: 10-08 3 reports. It was #8 in the 2026-W41 weekly report (2026-10-05 – 2026-10-11).
2 outlets covered it. The earliest report we collected is “DeepSeek reportedly nears $12 billion funding round backed by Tencent and CATL” (TechNode, 2026-10-08 Beijing time). Sources include TechNode, cnBeta. Labels: Unconfirmed — Reported by media citing unnamed sources; no official confirmation yet. All 3 source links are listed on this page in date order.
People also search: deepseek funding round, kling ai ipo, deepseek funding round news
From the AIMap weekly hotspots: picked from 1,100+ official and media sources, clustered into events, and written up from the original reports. 2026-W41 weekly report · All hot topics
Data updated: AI news(UTC+8)