Chinese companies like Moonshot AI are weighing company restructuring after the reversal of the Meta Manus deal

According to Benchmark Studio, after the China Securities Regulatory Commission issued inquiries to multiple companies regarding overseas shareholding structures, Chinese tech startups such as Moonshot AI and DeepRoute.ai are evaluating the feasibility of relocating their company registration from overseas back to China. They are currently discussing related plans with lawyers and have not yet made a final decision. Shanghai AI model developer StepFun has taken the lead in initiating the process of dismantling its overseas shareholding structure to expedite the regulatory approval process for its Hong Kong IPO.

The direct trigger for this tightening of regulations was Meta's acquisition of the AI agency Manus, founded by Chinese individuals, for $2 billion—relevant authorities have ordered the cancellation of this acquisition, leading to a systematic review by regulators of the "domestic operation, overseas registration" company model.

Dismantling the red-chip structure is complex, typically taking six months to a year, involving multiple steps such as repurchasing offshore equity, establishing joint ventures, and investors re-entering shares. Additionally, the lock-up period for joint ventures listed in Hong Kong lasts up to 12 months, which is twice as long as that for ordinary red-chip stocks. Analysts point out that if the red-chip structure faces comprehensive restrictions, it will significantly weaken the ability of Chinese startups to obtain dollar financing from overseas.