Manus Set to Exit Meta (NASDAQ:META) Ownership as China-Ordered Unwind Nears Completion

Nitish Kishor

12 August 2026 10:35 AM AEST

Manus Set to Exit Meta (NASDAQ:META) Ownership as China-Ordered Unwind Nears Completion

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Key Highlights

AI startup Manus said it will soon resume operating as an independent company as its $2 billion Acquisition by Meta officially unwinds
Chinese regulators ordered the deal unwound in April, citing rules on foreign Investment in frontier technology startups
Data generated by certain users on or after December 29, 2025 will be deleted between August 23 and 24, with a backup window open until then
Tencent has reportedly been in talks to become Manus's largest Shareholder following the separation

Manus to Resume Independent Operations as Meta Deal Unwinds

AI agent startup Manus said Tuesday it will soon resume operating as an independent company, following a monthslong process to unwind its acquisition by Meta (NASDAQ:META) after Chinese regulators blocked the deal. Manus, a developer of general-purpose AI agents, was founded in China in 2022 before relocating to Singapore. Meta announced its roughly $2 billion acquisition of the company last December.

China's National Development and Reform Commission ordered the parties to unwind the transaction in April, citing the country's rules on foreign investment. The decision kicked off a complex separation process that began in June, as Beijing has simultaneously tightened technology export controls amid intensifying competition with the US over AI talent, hardware, and data.

Some User Data Faces Deletion During Separation

As part of the transition, Manus said data generated by certain users on or after December 29, 2025, the date the Meta deal was announced, will be deleted to comply with regulatory requirements in specific jurisdictions. The company said the deletion will occur over a two-day window later this month, with affected users given a backup period beforehand and the ability to restore their data afterward. Manus said affected users would be notified through the app and by email, and would not be charged during the backup period.

“This is part of our separation from Meta,” the company said in a statement, adding that the step was necessary to comply with regulatory requirements in specific parts of the world. The company said the data is stored in the US and Singapore.

Tencent in Talks Over Stake as Meta's AI Ambitions Continue

Chinese gaming and internet company Tencent has reportedly been in talks to become Manus's largest shareholder following the separation. Meta had planned to integrate Manus's technology into its consumer and enterprise products as part of a broader push to build a subscription AI Business and compete with Alphabet's (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google and other major AI developers. Meta released its first coding agent last week, its latest attempt to generate Revenue from AI investments.

FAQs

Q:Why is Manus separating from Meta?

A:China's National Development and Reform Commission ordered the deal unwound in April, citing the country's foreign investment rules, after Meta's roughly $2 billion acquisition of the Singapore-based AI startup drew regulatory scrutiny.

Q:What happens to user data during the separation?

A:Data generated by certain users on or after December 29, 2025 will be deleted over a two-day window later this month, though affected users can back up and later restore their data.

Q:Who might take a stake in Manus going forward?

A:Tencent has reportedly been in talks to become Manus's largest shareholder as the company transitions back to independent operations.

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