Firms linked to Alice Huang invested in DeepSeek and promised it Nvidia Blackwell chips, The Information reports
The Information says DeepSeek staff pitched Century Litong and its parent Jiangsu Lettall to investors as a black-market supplier of banned Nvidia chips, helping them into DeepSeek's $15.8 billion round; the report is not independently confirmed.
Why it matters
The report ties the espionage case that ended Jensen Huang's tenure at Nvidia directly to China's best-known AI lab. If accurate, it suggests DeepSeek's training still depended on smuggled Blackwell chips while it adapted to Huawei hardware, which bears on the export-control bills Congress is weighing and on Megaspeed's audit. The Information said Century Litong denies any such dealings. Watch for responses from DeepSeek, US regulators and lawmakers, and whether Huang is asked about it when he testifies.
Key facts
- Report by The Information, 12 November 2026
- Companies named: Century Litong and parent Jiangsu Lettall
- DeepSeek's second round raised about 105.5 billion yuan ($15.8 billion)
- The round ran from July to October
- Century Litong denies any such dealings