Manus Raises Over $500M After China Blocked Meta’s $2B Deal

The raise signals that capital is still willing to fund Chinese AI talent even after a high-profile state intervention scuppered an exit to a US acquirer. It matters most for founders weighing cross-border M&A, where regulatory risk now sits alongside commercial risk. The open question is whether this round reflects conviction in Manus's product or simply a bet that domestic backing can replace a blocked foreign sale — and whether other unwound deals follow the same path.