First Chinese AI startups are reportedly ditching offshore structures to register directly in China

THE DECODER / 5/2/2026

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Key Points

  • Beijing’s securities regulator has signaled that companies seeking to go public should be registered domestically in response to earlier regulatory actions.
  • As part of a broader effort to keep China’s AI industry under tight control, some Chinese AI startups are reportedly considering dismantling offshore holding structures.
  • Firms mentioned include Moonshot AI and StepFun, which may shift to direct China registration rather than maintaining foreign setups.
  • The move reflects tightening policy alignment between capital markets and national AI governance priorities in China.

After Beijing blocked Meta's takeover of Manus, China's securities regulator signaled that companies hoping to go public should be registered at home. Now AI startups like Moonshot AI and StepFun are considering dissolving their foreign holding structures and registering directly in China as part of Beijing's broader push to keep its AI industry under tight control.

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