According to estimates from startup founders and AI experts, DeepSeek's valuation is believed to fluctuate between $1 billion and $150 billion. Based on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, if calculated using a midpoint estimate, the company’s market value could range from $2 billion to $30 billion. With an 84% stake in the company, Liang Wenfeng has become one of Asia's wealthiest tech tycoons.
However, DeepSeek remains tight-lipped about its valuation, leaving investors with much speculation. Given that the company does not disclose its funding or revenue figures publicly, accurately assessing its worth becomes exceedingly challenging. As a privately held entity, DeepSeek’s funding primarily stems from Liang Wenfeng's hedge fund trading profits. Jeffrey Emanuel, founder of Pastel Network, remarked, "It's essentially impossible to provide a convincing answer because this is an extremely enigmatic company."
In response to external speculations, DeepSeek's public relations department maintains a neutral stance, refraining from commenting on its valuation. This silence has instead sparked intense discussions among various parties regarding the origins of its valuation, prompting analyses by AI experts and startup founders alike.
Rudina Seseri, managing partner at Glasswing Ventures, believes DeepSeek's valuation is at least $1 billion, which is relatively modest compared to other AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. However, differing opinions exist. For instance, Chanakya Ramdev of Sweat Free Telecom argues that DeepSeek's valuation might reach half of OpenAI's $300 billion, surpassing the wealth of NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang.
Currently, discussions surrounding DeepSeek's valuation coincide with a surge in AI investment. Numerous AI startups are emerging, attracting significant investor attention. For example, Amazon-backed Anthropic has reached a valuation of $60 billion, while France's Mistral AI is valued at $6 billion.
Some compare DeepSeek to China's Zhipu AI, valued at $3 billion, but given the high volatility of the industry, determining stability remains difficult. Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman rejected a $97.4 billion offer from investors, including Elon Musk, for acquiring control of OpenAI's non-profit organization, underscoring the sector's heightened investment interest.
DeepSeek's influence extends beyond valuation speculations. The company, leveraging its innovative AI technology, challenges traditional perspectives, disrupts Silicon Valley's dominance, and reshapes the global AI landscape. Its technical prowess even triggered the largest stock price fluctuation in NVIDIA's history, marking a significant transformation in the AI world.
Liang Wenfeng, born in 1985 in Zhanjiang, China, graduated from Zhejiang University with a degree in electronic engineering and later obtained a master's degree in information and communication engineering. He embarked on a career in quantitative trading, co-founding Zhejiang Haixiang Asset Management, where he once managed assets worth up to $12 billion. In 2023, Liang founded DeepSeek as an AI joint venture under Zhejiang Haixiang Asset Management. This fund was established with two fellow engineers from Zhejiang University, who began their trading careers during the global financial crisis while still students.
Despite being relatively young, DeepSeek has garnered significant industry attention. Governments from Australia to South Korea have restricted access to its government devices due to security concerns, further highlighting its importance in the AI domain. When Chinese tech giants emulate Microsoft's strategic investment in OpenAI, DeepSeek's value will likely solidify further. Emanuel noted that, despite seemingly high valuations, these investments could prove valuable in the long term.
For now, DeepSeek remains shrouded in mystery. While the company's true value remains unclear, it has already transformed the AI investment landscape. The key question lies in whether Liang Wenfeng will continue ascending to become one of the world's top billionaires or if DeepSeek's valuation will settle at the lower end of predictions. Only time will tell. What is certain is that DeepSeek has emerged as a shining new star in the AI field, with a promising future eagerly anticipated by many.
