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Butterfly Effect, Manus’s parent company, completed a funding round of more than $500 million, according to reports by TechCrunch and Reuters via Investing.com on October 8, 2026. Boyu Capital and IDG Capital co-led the round, with existing investors including Tencent, HSG (formerly Sequoia China) and ZhenFund. The reports did not disclose Manus’s valuation.
How much did Manus raise, and who invested?
Butterfly Effect said it completed a round of more than $500 million. TechCrunch and Reuters, reporting the company’s announcement, named Boyu Capital and IDG Capital as co-leads. Tencent, HSG (formerly Sequoia China), ZhenFund and other existing shareholders also participated, according to the reports.
TechCrunch linked to an original WeChat post for the announcement, but that post was not accessible for independent review. The reported amount and investor names should therefore be understood as details attributed to Butterfly Effect through those news reports.
Did Manus disclose its valuation?
No valuation for the completed October round was stated in the TechCrunch or Reuters reports. A September 18 TechCrunch article, citing the Wall Street Journal and anonymous sources, said Manus was in talks to raise $500 million at a $4 billion valuation. That was a reported fundraising target before the round was announced—not a confirmed valuation or completed-round term.
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Funding raised and company valuation are different measures: the more-than-$500-million figure describes capital in the announced round, while the $4 billion figure described an earlier reported target. The October reports do not establish what valuation, if any, investors ultimately agreed on.
Why was Manus no longer being acquired by Meta?
Meta announced in December 2025 that it would acquire Manus, but did not disclose the price. The Associated Press said the Wall Street Journal reported the deal was worth more than $2 billion; that figure was not a company-disclosed purchase price. AP also reported that Manus had announced it crossed $100 million in annual recurring revenue in 2025, before the acquisition. That is historical company-reported context, not a current revenue figure.
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On April 27, 2026, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said it had prohibited foreign investment in the Manus project and required the parties to withdraw the acquisition. As quoted by TechCrunch, the NDRC stated: “The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has made a decision to prohibit foreign investment in the Manus project in accordance with laws and regulations, and has required the parties involved to withdraw the acquisition transaction.” The public order, as reported, did not give a detailed rationale.
Meta responded: “The transaction complied fully with applicable law. We anticipate an appropriate resolution to the inquiry,” according to a spokesperson quoted by TechCrunch. The NDRC’s action was a regulatory order; the reporting reviewed does not establish a court judgment or a more detailed official explanation.
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What changed when Manus returned to independent operations?
Manus announced its return to independent operations in a user notice dated August 11, 2026. The company said the separation required a data transition for certain users: some data generated on or after December 29, 2025 was scheduled for deletion from August 23 through August 24, 2026, Singapore time, with backup and restoration windows. Those dates have passed and are historical, not current instructions.
Manus explained the action this way: “This is part of our separation from Meta; we must take this step to comply with regulatory requirements in specific parts of the world.” The notice describes the company’s stated reason for the data process; it does not establish that all users or all Manus data were affected.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Manus does
Manus is an AI-agent service. TechCrunch and AP describe capabilities that include research and automation as well as coding, building apps and websites, design, presentations and video. Those product details provide context for the company’s business, but do not change what is known about the financing terms: the reported round exceeded $500 million, while the completed valuation was not stated.
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