Mantayay Global Holdings Pte Ltd, a creator‑economy and digital media company, announced on Monday a $5 million investment led by Kairous Capital via its Kairous Asia Venture Fund II (SEA).

This represents Mantayay’s first institutional funding round, and the capital will accelerate the company’s regional expansion, strengthen Mantayay’s regional creator network, advance AI-enabled content and commerce infrastructure across key markets.

Since its founding in Malaysia, Mantayay has grown to serve global clients in gaming, FMCG, and technology across Southeast Asia. The company today 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 become a critically acclaimed cultural phenomenon, Malaysia’s most-watched short-form drama franchise with over 300 million cumulative views across platforms, positioning Mantayay as a creative studio at the forefront of Southeast Asia’s new entertainment wave.

Building on its regional presence and the rising interest in Southeast Asia, Mantayay intends to establish offices in China, Japan, and South Korea to support Northeast Asian companies expanding into the region. According to industry data, the Southeast Asian creator economy is projected to surpass $1.4 billion by 2030.

“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 said.

“The Mantayay team stands out for their exceptional ability to balance between visionary effort and business fundamentals, as they have been profitable in their pursuit to elevate the digital content infrastructure in Southeast Asia. They represent the strength and ingenuity of Malaysia’s new digital generation. Together, we aim to build the foundation for how content, creators, and commerce will connect in the decade ahead,” he added.

“Mantayay is focused on building industry leadership in short‑form storytelling and content‑commerce,” said Ng YuBin, Chief Executive Officer of Mantayay. “This investment will accelerate our regional expansion, add breadth and depth to our creator ecosystem, and further enhance our data‑driven operations to deliver strong measurable outcomes for partners.”

Mantayay Global Holdings Pte Ltd is a creator‑economy and digital media company focused on premium short‑form content, live commerce, and integrated influencer marketing. Mantayay partners with leading brands and creators to deliver end‑to‑end strategy, production, and performance outcomes across Southeast Asia.

Founded in 2015, Kairous Capital is a regional venture capital and private equity firm investing across Southeast Asia and China. Through its latest Kairous Asia Venture Fund II (SEA), the firm aims to back category‑defining teams with scalable business models and clear paths to sustainable value creation across Southeast Asia.

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