New York, Jan 8, 2026, 06:25 EST — Premarket
Meta Platforms (META.O) shares slipped 0.4% in premarket trading on Thursday after China said it would assess and investigate the company’s acquisition of artificial intelligence startup Manus. 1
The move adds a fresh layer of regulatory risk to Meta’s push to buy AI talent and tools, an area where Beijing has shown growing sensitivity around data and technology moving offshore.
Traders were already cautious after Meta fell 1.8% on Wednesday, closing at $648.69 after touching a session low of $644.81. 2
China’s review was already on investors’ radar after the Financial Times reported this week that Chinese officials were examining whether the transfer of Manus staff and technology to Singapore before the sale should have required an export license — a government permit needed to move certain technologies abroad. Meta’s purchase valued Manus at between $2 billion and $3 billion, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, and Meta and Manus did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 3
“Security has become the top concern for Chinese policymakers,” Gary Ng, a senior economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis, said, warning that technology transfers that could boost U.S. competitiveness would draw scrutiny. Cui Fan, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, also raised questions publicly about whether restricted technologies could have been exported “without a license.” 4
Manus drew attention for promoting what it called a general AI “agent” — software designed to plan and carry out tasks with less prompting than standard chatbots — a theme Meta has leaned into as it builds AI features for consumers and advertisers.
The downside scenario is straightforward: if Chinese authorities decide an export license was needed, the process could delay the transaction or complicate how Meta uses the technology. Meta is also facing litigation pressure in the United States, where a federal appeals court appeared skeptical this week of Meta and other social media companies’ push to knock out thousands of lawsuits alleging their platforms are addictive for young users. 5
Investors will watch for any further guidance from Chinese regulators on whether an export-control process is triggered, and for Meta’s next quarterly results, which Nasdaq’s earnings calendar estimates for Feb. 4. 6
