Manus returns to independence after Chinese regulators undo Meta acquisition

Business Aug 12, 2026

Manus, an AI startup, is going solo again after Chinese regulators forced Meta to undo its $2 billion-plus acquisition in April. The split is part of China's push to limit US investment in local tech firms.

As Manus transitions back to independence, it's planning to delete some user data created on or after December 29, 2025.

Affected users will get a heads-up via the app and email and can save their info before it's gone.

Manus seeks new local partners

Now free from Meta, Manus is looking for new local partners.

There was talk that Tencent has been in talks to become Manus's largest shareholder in July.

For now, the company says it's focused on teaming up with local players and making sure users are kept in the loop about any big changes.