Chinese gaming and internet company Tencent is in talks to become Manus' largest shareholder as investors seek alternatives after Beijing ordered Meta to unwind its $2 billion acquisition of the AI startup, two people with knowledge of the matter said

What happened

Chinese gaming and internet company Tencent is in talks to become Manus' largest shareholder as investors seek alternatives after Beijing ordered Meta to unwind its $2 billion acquisition of the AI startup, two people with knowledge of the matter said

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

Tencent may become the biggest owner of Manus, giving the Chinese tech giant a foothold in a new AI venture while investors look for other ways to fund AI after China forced Meta to cancel a $2 billion deal.

Confirmed

China’s recent order for Meta to unwind its AI‑startup purchase shows regulators are tightening control over foreign AI deals, prompting investors to shift capital toward domestic players like Tencent.

Confirmed

What to watch

1. Whether Tencent finalises a controlling stake in Manus – a confirmed negotiation could bring fresh funding to Manus and signal Tencent’s deeper AI ambitions. Proposed
2. How other investors re‑allocate capital after the Meta unwind – an inference that could boost financing for Chinese AI firms and affect global AI deal flow. Analyst inference
3. Regulatory response to a large Chinese firm taking a lead in an AI startup – an inference that tighter rules could shape future cross‑border AI investments. Analyst inference

Evidence

• x.com