Manus, a startup originally founded in China and now headquartered in Singapore, is becoming part of Meta. The news was announced on December 29, 2025, and means that Meta is acquiring the company that developed one of the world's leading autonomous AI agents. This agent can independently handle complex tasks such as market research, programming, and data analysis. Meta plans to continue selling and operating the Manus service while integrating it into its own products, including Meta AI.
Manus launched its first general-purpose AI agent in the spring of 2025 and quickly attracted millions of users worldwide. Since then, it has processed more than 147 trillion tokens—an enormous amount of data that the agent used for computations. It has also helped create more than 80 million virtual computers, meaning that individuals and businesses use it daily for real-world work. Meta sees great potential in this and wants to extend these capabilities to its billions of users and millions of businesses.
Acquisition details and value
According to sources with direct knowledge of the deal, Manus is valued at $2 billion to $3 billion, which is approximately CZK 46 billion to CZK 69 billion. The financial terms have not been officially disclosed, but this figure shows how seriously Meta is taking efforts to strengthen its position in artificial intelligence. Last year, Manus raised $75 million (CZK 1.7 billion) in a funding round led by the U.S. firm Benchmark.
Manus moved from China to Singapore to avoid risks associated with tensions between the U.S. and China. Its products are not available in China, but it collaborates with companies such as Alibaba on developing AI models. This acquisition is one of the first instances of a major U.S. technology company buying a startup with Chinese roots.
Who is behind Manus
Manus is led by Xiao Hong, often nicknamed "Red," who will report to Meta's Chief Operating Officer Javier Olivan following the acquisition. The Manus team will join Meta to help develop general-purpose AI agents for consumers and businesses. Meta plans to integrate Manus technology into its platforms, such as WhatsApp for small and medium-sized businesses. This aligns with the vision of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has spoken about an "agentic" approach to AI, in which systems perform complex tasks with minimal human intervention.
Manus gained prominence on the X platform when it introduced an agent that requires fewer instructions than chatbots such as ChatGPT or DeepSeek. People compared it to China's DeepSeek, and it was even praised by Chinese state television. Its performance surpasses DeepResearch models thanks to its ability to make decisions independently and carry out tasks from start to finish.
Access for users
Manus already serves millions of users and businesses worldwide. Meta promises that the transition will not be disruptive—the service will remain available through the Manus app and website, and the company will continue operating from Singapore. The goal is to expand subscriptions to millions of businesses across Meta's platforms. Xiao Hong said that joining Meta will make it possible to build on a stronger foundation without changing how Manus operates or makes decisions.
Analysts such as Barton Crockett of Rosenblatt Securities see this as a natural fit for Meta, particularly for WhatsApp and small businesses. Jeremy Goldman of Emarketer notes that anything with Chinese roots and AI in its name attracts attention in Washington due to security concerns. Meta is excited to welcome the Manus team and believes that its technology will improve the lives of billions of people and millions of businesses.
Manus remains focused on autonomous agents that turn advanced AI capabilities into reliable systems for the real world. With Meta's backing, rapid growth and new opportunities for users are expected.
Additional sources: wsj.com
