Manus' parent company completes $500m funding round with tencent and sequoia continuation

On October 8, 2026, the parent company of Manus, Butterfly Effect, announced the completion of a new funding round exceeding $500 million, equivalent to approximately 33.56 billion yuan at current exchange rates. The round was led by Bosera Capital and IDG, with existing investors Tencent, Sequoia China, and True Ventures continuing their support. Manus, launched by Butterfly Effect in March 2025, initially gained significant traction but faced controversy when it relocated its headquarters to Singapore in June 2025, cutting its domestic team and halting operations in China. In April 2026, the National Development and Reform Commission blocked the foreign investment acquisition of Manus, citing non-compliant 'bath-style' overseas expansion practices. In July 2026, Manus' founders, along with Tencent, HSG, and True Ventures, repurchased all shares from Meta at a valuation of $2 billion, with Tencent becoming the largest external investor. In August 2026, Manus announced its separation from Meta and resumed independent operations, affecting some user accounts. By September 2026, the company had fully separated from Meta and resumed global operations under its own management, focusing on developing generative AI agents for global users.