DeepSeek raises V4 API pricing by up to 1,100% citing capacity strain

According to CIO, Chinese AI vendor DeepSeek is raising API pricing for its V4 model family by more than 1,100% in some cases, effective August 16, 2026, ending the company's signature ultra-low pricing advantage. The increases come as demand strains capacity. DeepSeek is offering peak and off-peak rates with 50% discounts during off-peak hours to encourage flexible workload scheduling.