Manus Chinese Backers Want to Buy it Back from Meta, Report Shows
In Focus
- Meta acquired Manus for $2 billion in December 2025
- Original Manus investors want to buy the AI startup back for the same amount
- Manus has grown significantly since its acquisition by Meta
Following Beijing’s decision to halt the Meta and Manus deal, early Chinese investors now plan to buy the AI startup back for $2 billion. This is the same amount that Meta had paid to acquire Manus in December 2025. Meta had planned to integrate Manus agentic technology into Meta AI, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
Why are Chinese Investors Buying Manus Back?
Beijing has become concerned about foreign ownership of strategic AI assets, talent, data, and intellectual property in frontier AI sectors. With the buyback, the investors will help keep Manus AI technology under Chinese influence.
Some of the initial backers expected to participate in the Manus buyback from Meta are HSG, Tencent, and ZhenFund. According to The Information, ZhenFund and HSG plan to inject new capital in the AI startup to take Meta’s position.
The Chinese investors are moving to buy Manus back after Beijing ordered Meta to reverse the acquisition deal. The decision comes at a time when Beijing has stepped up scrutiny over U.S. investments into Chinese startups that develop advanced AI technologies.
While halting the acquisition of Manus by Meta, Chinese authorities said the move to prohibit foreign investment in the AI startup aligned with the country’s laws and regulations. Like China, the U.S. is seeking to control its AI technologies. Recently, the government restricted foreign access to Anthropic’s most powerful AI models, Mythos Preview and Claude Fable 5.
How Did the Meta Deal Impact Manus?
Manus has grown significantly since its acquisition by Meta. Its annualized revenue run rate now ranges between $400 million and $500 million, up from $100 million at the time of acquisition.
Meta had acquired Manus to strengthen its position in the fast-growing AI agent market. The deal gave Manus access to Meta’s infrastructure, resources, and a global distribution network. It also reinforced Manus’ status as a leading player in agentic AI. Since the acquisition, Manus has launched a desktop app that integrates its AI agent into personal laptops.
The app features a tool called ‘My Computer’, which allows its agents to interact directly with local tools, apps, and files inside a device. Currently, Manus is considering an IPO in Hong Kong. The company is planning to overhaul its business structure and incorporate as a joint venture in China. This move will pave the way for its public listing in Hong Kong.
Following Beijing’s order, Meta has implemented an operational split from Manus internally. The social media giant has also stopped sharing data with the AI startup.
What Manus Buyback Means for the AI Race
The Manus buyback shows how geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China continue to shape the global AI race. If Chinese investors regain control of Manus, it would signal Beijing’s determination to keep advanced AI technologies within its sphere of influence.
The move could also make cross-border acquisitions of AI companies more difficult, as governments treat frontier AI as a strategic national asset. For the broader AI industry, the Manus buyback means that in the AI industry, competition stretches beyond building better models. It’s also about controlling the companies, infrastructure, and ecosystems behind them.
