tech
January 19, 2026
Alibaba-backed startup Moonshot AI's valuation is up $500 million, sources say, after its rivals IPO in Hong Kong
Investors are valuing the startup at $4.8 billion as it is about to close another funding round, according to two people familiar with the matter.

TL;DR
- Alibaba-backed AI startup Moonshot AI is valued at $4.8 billion in a new funding round.
- This valuation is a significant increase from its previous valuation of $4.3 billion just weeks ago.
- Moonshot AI is the creator of the Kimi chatbot, which gained popularity in China.
- The company's previous funding round in December included participation from IDG, Alibaba, and Tencent.
- Chinese AI companies are experiencing a boom partly because U.S. AI chatbots like ChatGPT are not officially available in mainland China.
- Rival Chinese AI firms Zhipu and MiniMax have recently achieved substantial market values after going public.
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