Manus Raises More Than $500 Million After Meta Deal Falls Through
Chinese AI startup Manus has raised more than $50 million in fresh funding
The investment follows the collapse of its planned acquisition by Meta, reportedly valued at more than $2 billion
The funding marks Manus’ first major fundraising round since its separation from Meta
October 9, 2026 - Manus, an AI agent startup founded in China and headquartered in Singapore, has raised more than $500 million in a new funding round through its parent company, Butterfly Effect. The investment comes after Meta abandoned its planned acquisition of Manus, valued at more than $2 billion, following intervention by Chinese authorities. The company is now continuing operations independently.
Investor and Funding Details
The round was co-led by Boyu Capital and IDG Capital, with existing investors Tencent, HSG, and ZhenFund also participating. Manus has not disclosed its valuation following the funding. Reports last month indicated it was seeking investment at a valuation of around $4 billion.
What Manus Does?
Manus develops general-purpose AI agents that can carry out multi-step tasks, including research, information analysis, and workflow automation, with limited human intervention. The company gained attention following a demonstration of its autonomous agent capabilities in 2025.
The fresh capital will support its continued expansion and recruitment in China and international markets, the company said.
Why the Meta Deal Fell Through?
Meta announced its planned acquisition of Manus in December 2025. In April 2026. Chinese authorities ordered the transaction to be unwound amid increased scrutiny of foreign investment in Chinese AI companies. Manus said in August that it would resume independent operations and remove certain user data as part of its separation from Meta.
The new funding gives Manus additional financial backing as it competes in the AI agent market, where major technology companies are also developing systems that can perform tasks autonomously.
Sources:
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/manus-raises-more-than-500-million-after-meta-exit-2026-10-08/
https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/08/chinas-manus-raises-over-500m-in-first-funding-round-since-split-with-meta/
