Tencent is expected to become the largest shareholder in the AI agent startup Manus after Beijing orders Meta to reverse its planned acquisition, according to reports. Meta had been set to buy Manus in a deal valued at about US$2 billion. However, the Chinese authorities’ decision to require the deal’s reversal changes the transaction’s outcome and creates room for other investors. The Financial Times reports that Tencent is positioned to lead the new ownership structure, effectively taking a top stake in Manus as part of the unwind. Seeking Alpha similarly reports that Tencent is pursuing the largest position in the AI startup after Meta is forced to unwind the deal.
Both accounts frame the development as a shift in control tied to regulatory intervention rather than a change in Manus’s core product focus. The reports do not provide full details of the revised share distribution or timing, but they agree on the main sequence: Meta’s US$2 billion acquisition is undone, and Tencent moves toward a leading equity stake in Manus.
