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China Blocks Meta's $2 B Manus Deal, Orders Cancellation

4/30/2026

Summary

Meta Blocks Acquisition

On April 27, 2026 the NDRC ordered Meta to cancel its $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus and prohibited investment.
Manus, founded in Beijing in 2022 and moved to Singapore in 2025, employs 100 staff and builds AI agents for coding and research.
Lawyers warn unwinding will be complex because Meta has already integrated Manus’s technology, data and team, showing offshore restructuring cannot shield Chinese-origin tech from Beijing’s security review.

Summary

Meta Beats Estimates

Meta reported Q1 revenue of $56.31 billion, beating the $55.45 billion analyst estimate.
Daily active users across Meta apps reached 3.56 billion, a 4% year-over-year increase.
Meta lifted its 2026 capital-expenditure outlook to $125-$145 billion because of AI infrastructure needs.
Meta unveiled its first AI model, Muse Spark, to enhance advertiser capabilities.
Shares fell about 5% in extended trading after the earnings release, reflecting investor concern.

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Meta Blocks Acquisition

On April 27, 2026 the NDRC ordered Meta to cancel its $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus and prohibited investment.
Manus, founded in Beijing in 2022 and moved to Singapore in 2025, employs 100 staff and builds AI agents for coding and research.
Lawyers warn unwinding will be complex because Meta has already integrated Manus’s technology, data and team, showing offshore restructuring cannot shield Chinese-origin tech from Beijing’s security review.

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