China Blocks Meta-Manus Deal Amid Tightened Investment Rules

Key Topics in this News Article:
News Snapshot:

AI startup Manus announced it will return to independent operations, deleting user data generated after December 29, 2025, to comply with regulatory requirements in specific jurisdictions. Affected users will be notified to back up their data. China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) had ordered Meta to unwind its $2 billion-plus acquisition of Manus, reflecting China’s efforts to prevent US firms from acquiring Chinese AI talent and intellectual property while restricting Chinese tech firms’ access to advanced US chips. After a $75 million fundraising round led by Benchmark in May 2025, Manus closed its China offices, laid off employees, and…

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Newsletter to Your Inbox

    China intelligence delivered each week!

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form