What happened
A group of Manus's former major shareholders, including Tencent, ZhenFund and Sequoia China, have bought back the AI startup's shares from Meta for $2 billion, according to people close to Manus. The price is close to what Meta announced in December 2025 when it acquired the company.
Why it matters for the market
Benchmark, which was Manus's largest shareholder before the acquisition, will not participate in this buyback. Instead, Tencent will acquire Benchmark's previous stake, making Tencent the largest shareholder of Manus.
Manus is currently operating normally. Earlier reports said Manus is about to resume independent operations, and some users need to back up their data before August 23.
What traders should watch
The deal reverses Meta's takeover just months after it was announced, returning the startup to its original investor group. For markets, the story highlights how AI-focused ownership structures can shift quickly. Speculative traders may watch for renewed interest in AI-related narratives, but the immediate market impact appears limited.
