Manus raises $500 million after Meta deal blocked

The round is the first since Manus's founders and investors bought the firm back from Meta, a step that followed China's April order to unwind the acquisition. That order came with reportedly restricted overseas travel for two of Manus's co-founders, adding a personal dimension to the corporate separation.

Manus has moved quickly since resuming independent operations in September. That month it launched a major update to its AI agent tool and a new standalone app called Cue, which lets users create personal AI agents for tasks like booking restaurants and making phone calls. The company has also said it is forming teams to "develop products for the domestic market", suggesting it is not turning its back on China despite the blocked deal.

The reported $4 billion valuation, if accurate, would represent a notable jump from the $2 billion Meta agreed to pay in December. For companies caught between U.S. buyers and Chinese regulators, Manus offers one possible path: retreat to independence, then raise from a mix of Chinese and global backers.