Key takeaways Meta has acquired Singapore-based AI startup Manus for more than $2 billion, marking its third-largest acquisition after WhatsApp and Scale AI. The deal was negotiated and finalized in r...
The deal, valued at more than $2 billion according to sources familiar with the matter, represents Meta's continued aggressive push into artificial intelligence technology.
The acquisition was finalized in a remarkably short timeframe of approximately 10 days.
Manus, which launched its first general AI agent in March 2025, quickly gained attention in the tech industry for its ability to perform multi-step tasks, including market research, coding, data analysis, and job candidate screening.
Manus achieved significant commercial success in an exceptionally short period.
The company reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue just eight months after launch, with a total revenue run rate exceeding $125 million.
The startup had raised $75 million in a Series B funding round led by Benchmark in April 2025 at a $500 million valuation, and was seeking a fresh funding round at a $2 billion valuation when Meta approached with the acquisition offer.
According to company data, Manus has processed more than 147 trillion tokens of text and data and supported over 80 million virtual computers since its launch.
The platform operates through cloud-hosted virtual machines that function as multi-agent systems powered by multiple AI models.
Meta confirmed that Manus will continue to operate its subscription service while gradually integrating its technology into Meta's broader product ecosystem, including Meta AI, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The Manus team will join Meta as employees, with operations continuing from Singapore.
"Joining Meta allows us to build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works or how decisions are made," said Xiao Hong, CEO of Manus, in a company statement. Xiao Hong, who founded parent company Butterfly Effect in Wuhan in 2022, will assume the role of Vice President at Meta.
The acquisition represents Meta's fifth AI-related deal in 2025, following purchases of AI startups PlayAI, WaveForms, accelerator developer Rivos, and wearable device developer Limitless.
The social media giant has committed to at least $70 billion in capital expenditure for 2025, with much of that investment directed toward building datacenters to support AI workloads.
Manus was originally developed by China-based Butterfly Effect before relocating its headquarters to Singapore in mid-2025.
The company's Chinese origins have drawn scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers concerned about technology competition with China.
In response, Meta has stated that following the acquisition, Manus will have no continuing Chinese ownership interests and will discontinue its services and operations in China.
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