Tencent is negotiating to become the largest shareholder of Manus, a Chinese-founded AI startup now headquartered in Singapore, according to multiple reports from July 10 to 12, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. The talks involve Tencent and other existing investors including ZhenFund and HSG (formerly Sequoia Capital China) to buy Manus from Meta at about the same US$2 billion valuation as the original deal [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7].
Meta acquired Manus in December 2025 for roughly US$2 billion but was ordered by Chinese regulators in April 2026 to unwind the deal due to restrictions on foreign investment in AI technologies [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7]. After the regulatory block, Meta and Manus began operational separation including halting data sharing between them [2, 4, 6, 7].
Tencent is expected to hold the largest single share among buyers but maintain a minority stake below 50%, allowing Manus to stay independent and keep its Singapore headquarters [2, 3, 7]. The Metropolitan Financial Times quoted sources saying "Tencent is in talks to become the largest shareholder of Manus and will remain a minority shareholder, keeping Manus independent and headquartered in Singapore" [1].
Manus develops general AI agent technology capable of autonomously completing multi-step tasks with limited human input, seen as a significant advancement in generative AI [2, 5, 7]. The Chinese authorities’ blocking of Meta’s acquisition is part of broader tightening of controls on AI technology and foreign investment amid US-China tech rivalry [6].
The next step will be the completion of the buyback from Meta by Tencent and other investors at the reported US$2 billion valuation, which would restore Chinese investor control over Manus while keeping the company operationally independent in Singapore [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7].
