DeepSeek's Annualized Revenue Reaches $1 Billion, Report Says
Chinese AI lab DeepSeek is now bringing in revenue at an annualised rate of $1 billion, according to a report by The Information. This marks more than a doubling of its run rate in a few months, primarily driven by a recent API price rise and steady demand for the company's models.
The report cites two individuals with direct knowledge of the matter, while DeepSeek has remained tight-lipped on the topic. The information also highlights that:
- Fees for DeepSeek’s API increased between 2.3 and 4.5 times depending on the model.
- Founder Liang Wenfeng assured investors that customers had stayed despite the price hike.
- A run rate, as mentioned in the text, projects recent earnings across an entire year, highlighting momentum rather than guaranteed cash in hand.
This revenue surge comes as DeepSeek nears the conclusion of its second funding round. The Information reports the company is finalising a $7.5 billion raise, with Bloomberg valuing the round at approximately 500 billion yuan (or $74 billion).
DeepSeek’s journey to securing external funding has been eventful:
- The lab only began taking outside money this year after closing its first $7 billion round in June.
- Liang himself contributed a significant portion of the funds for the initial round.
- The company paused its second funding round in July due to leaked remarks by Liang, before restarting negotiations in August.
Story by Alina Maria Stan
Alina Maria Stan builds connections that people actually feel. As co-founder and COO of Tekpon, she turns product intuition into real moments of discovery, shaping how teams find and adopt SaaS every day. Since 2020, she has led Tekpon’s brand voice, media strategy, and growth plays with a clear focus on human outcomes behind every metric.