DeepSeek is back in the spotlight, but this time the attention is on its CEO and co-founder, Liang Wenfeng, rather than a new AI model. Following the company's latest funding round, Liang has become the world's richest AI startup founder, with his wealth more than doubling overnight.
According to Bloomberg, Liang's net worth has surged from $16.7 billion to $36 billion after DeepSeek completed its latest fundraising, placing him ahead of several of the AI industry's most prominent founders.
With an estimated fortune of $36 billion, Liang now surpasses Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, whose net worth is estimated at $7.98 billion, as well as OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, who is reportedly worth $25.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
How his wealth surged
Liang's fortune rose sharply because he continues to hold a majority stake in DeepSeek, whose valuation increased dramatically following its latest funding round.
The company's valuation climbed from $10 billion in April to $50 billion after raising $7.4 billion in June 2026, representing a fivefold increase within a few months.
Investor demand played a significant role in driving the valuation higher. Liang also participated directly in the fundraising, investing $3 billion of his own capital.
Despite dilution from new investors, he is estimated to retain a 78 per cent ownership stake in DeepSeek, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. As a result, the company's rapid increase in value translated into a substantial jump in his personal wealth.
Who is Liang Wenfeng?
Liang Wenfeng is a 41-year-old Chinese entrepreneur born in 1985 in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province.
He studied engineering at Zhejiang University, earning both his bachelor's and master's degrees before building a career in quantitative finance.
In 2015, Liang co-founded High-Flyer Capital Management with two university classmates, using machine learning techniques to develop quantitative trading strategies.
The firm grew into one of China's leading quantitative hedge funds, managing assets that peaked at around $14 billion in 2021. The computing infrastructure developed through High-Flyer later became the technological foundation for DeepSeek.
Liang founded DeepSeek in 2023, financing the company largely through proceeds generated by High-Flyer.
The startup gained international recognition in January 2025 with the launch of DeepSeek-R1, an AI model that analysts said delivered performance comparable to leading large language models while operating at a significantly lower cost. The release attracted global attention and established DeepSeek as one of the major players in the artificial intelligence industry.
In 2025, Liang was included in Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in AI and Fortune's list of the Most Powerful People in Business.
With DeepSeek now valued at $50 billion and his estimated net worth reaching $36 billion, Liang Wenfeng has become the world's richest AI startup founder.
