Meta reportedly moves to unwind $2B Manus deal after Beijing’s demand
📰 ArticleKate Park
Meta begins unwinding $2B Manus acquisition after Beijing's national security order.
Meta has started to reverse its $2 billion acquisition of Manus, a Chinese-founded AI agent startup, by severing internal system access and halting data sharing. This is the first major step toward complying with Beijing's April 2026 order to unwind the deal, citing technology export controls and foreign investment rules. The move highlights China's tightening grip on AI talent and foreign capital, with travel restrictions and investment approval requirements now in place for top AI firms. Meanwhile, Manus continues to ship new features, including integrations with Similarweb and Shopify. The startup's co-founders are in talks to raise ~$1B from investors to repurchase the company, potentially leading to a Hong Kong IPO. Meta's acquisition, initially seen as a landmark exit, is unraveling amid bipartisan US scrutiny and Chinese regulatory pushback.
💡Highlights
- ├─Meta to unwind $2B Manus deal
- ├─China forced divestiture over security
- └─Manus raising $1B to repurchase itself
🎯For
- ├─Policy analysts
- ├─AI investors
- └─Startup strategists