China’s Manus AI Opens Free Registration Following $75M Funding
Manus AI, one of China’s fastest-growing artificial intelligence start-ups, has opened its platform to public registration following a new $75 million funding round. The company is aiming to grow its user base rapidly as competition among AI agent developers intensifies globally.
Previously available only via invite, Manus is now offering free access to anyone worldwide. The move follows its recent funding round led by Benchmark Capital, a prominent US-based venture firm, which values the company at $500 million, according to Bloomberg.
AI Agents Go Mainstream — and Manus Wants a Lead
Since launching in early March, Manus AI has drawn attention for its ability to perform complex, multi-step tasks across various domains. The startup’s general-purpose AI agent quickly became one of the most in-demand services in China’s growing AI ecosystem, rivaling emerging platforms like DeepSeek.
To attract new users, Manus is giving away 1,000 free credits to every account, along with 300 daily bonus credits. These can be used to test the platform’s task-handling capabilities without subscribing to a paid plan.
Paid subscriptions are available, but they don’t come cheap. Manus’ monthly plans are priced at $39 and $199, surpassing popular alternatives like OpenAI’s $20 ChatGPT Plus. The most premium tier offers 19,900 credits per month, which equates to roughly 66 high-complexity tasks.
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Rising Pressure from Tech Giants and AI Start-Ups
The timing of Manus AI’s expansion is no coincidence. Industry experts forecast explosive growth in AI agents throughout 2025, with Big Tech firms and agile start-ups racing to build out their platforms.
Alibaba Group and its affiliate Ant Group are doubling down on the Model Context Protocol, a framework that allows AI agents to interact with third-party tools and systems. Meanwhile, ByteDance recently launched Coze Space, an open gallery for user-generated AI agents.
Manus also faces new competition from Genspark.AI, a US-based company formed by ex-Baidu engineers, offering similar task automation services.
US Scrutiny and the Road Ahead
As Chinese AI start-ups attract US capital, regulatory oversight is tightening. According to Semafor, the US Treasury Department is currently reviewing the Benchmark-Manus deal, reflecting growing caution around cross-border AI investments.
Despite the regulatory uncertainty, Manus appears poised to expand quickly. By making its previously exclusive platform publicly accessible—and offering free credits—it aims to build a broader user base and gain first-mover advantage in a crowded, fast-moving space.
