Kuala Lumpur-based creator‑economy and digital media company Mantayay Global Holdings Pte Ltd (Mantayay) has raised $5 million in a funding round led by Kairous Capital, according to an announcement.
The investment, which was conducted through Kairous Asia Venture Fund II (SEA), represents Mantayay’s first institutional funding round.
The capital will accelerate the company’s regional expansion, strengthen Mantayay’s regional creator network, and advance AI-enabled content and commerce infrastructure across key markets.
Since its founding in Malaysia, Mantayay has grown to serve clients in the gaming, FMCG, and technology sectors across Southeast Asia. The company claims that it manages over 4,000 TikTok creators, produces more than 1,000 short-form videos each month, and generates over 100 million monthly views across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
Mantayay’s flagship original IP, Terpaling Menantu, has attracted over 300 million cumulative views across platforms.
“Kairous is backing Mantayay’s conviction at the nexus of content, creators, and commerce (3Cs),” said Joseph Lee Moh Hon, Managing Partner at Kairous Capital.
“Having observed powerful structural tailwinds within the media industry globally, such as short dramas, content‑commerce, and creator‑led IP, that we believe are now taking shape in Southeast Asia, we believe Mantayay is uniquely positioned to ride and benefit from this wave,” he noted.
Founded in 2015, Kairous Capital is a regional venture capital and private equity firm investing across Southeast Asia and China.
