April 24 (Reuters) – China plans to restrict top technology firms, including leading AI startups, from accepting U.S. capital without government approval, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Chinese regulators, including the National Development and Reform Commission, have recently instructed several private technology firms to reject U.S. investment in funding rounds unless explicitly approved, the report said.
AI startups Moonshot AI and StepFun were among the companies that received the guidance, the report said. Regulators have also decided on similar restrictions for TikTok owner ByteDance and do not want the company to approve secondary share sales to U.S. investors without government approval, it added.
The measures are aimed at preventing U.S. investors from gaining stakes in sensitive technologies linked to China’s national security, Bloomberg reported.
NDRC, StepFun, ByteDance, Meta and Moonshot AI did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau also did not respond immediately.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington said it was not familiar with the matter.
The heightened scrutiny follows Meta’s more than $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus in 2025, which triggered investigations into foreign investments in Chinese companies and technology exports amid concerns the transaction could spur other startups to move advanced technology offshore.
For years, U.S. capital has played a significant role in China’s technology sector, ranging from venture investments by firms such as Sequoia Capital and Benchmark to deep operating ties involving companies such as Apple, Microsoft and Tesla.
American pension funds and endowments have also been major backers of China-focused venture funds, helping fuel growth across internet platforms, electric vehicles and AI.
Washington also imposed its own restrictions earlier this year, limiting U.S. investment in certain Chinese AI, semiconductor and quantum firms, citing security concerns.
(Reporting by Abu Sultan and Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Diti Pujara)
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