AI-agent developer Manus is discussing a $500 million funding round that would value the company at $4 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal reporting cited by TechCrunch. The talks follow the collapse of a planned $2 billion acquisition by Meta and Manus’ return to independent operation.
Potential investors reportedly include IDG Capital, Boyu Capital, battery maker CATL and existing backers Tencent, HSG and Zhenfund. Manus is also considering a corporate restructuring ahead of a possible initial public offering in Hong Kong. The company has not confirmed the financing discussions.
Manus moved staff to Singapore in 2025 and announced the Meta transaction that December. Beijing later blocked the deal amid concerns about export controls, foreign investment and the loss of Chinese AI talent. Early investors then helped the company buy back shares at a reported valuation of about $2 billion. During the separation, Manus told users to export their data because some information created after the acquisition had to be deleted to meet regulatory requirements in certain jurisdictions. The company said this month that its founding team remains in charge. Its products include a general chatbot, coding and app-building tools, design and presentation generation, video tools and a browser assistant.