The Rise of Humanoid Robots: Analyzing the 2026 Industry Landscape and China’s Global Leadership

Analyzing the Landscape of the 2026 Industry: The Rise of Humanoid Robots and Their Global Empowerment

As 2025 marks the “Year of Mass Production” for humanoid robots, the industry is experiencing multiple favorable developments. Policies now prioritize “embodied intelligence,” and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has outlined clear objectives for the industry’s progression. According to authoritative data from the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, the Humanoid Robot Industry Development White Paper (2025) indicates that the global market for humanoid robots will reach 17 billion yuan in 2025, with the Chinese market surpassing 8.5 billion yuan and accounting for over 50% of the global share. The annual shipment volume is expected to reach 12,000 units, reflecting a 420% increase year-on-year. Additionally, data from iResearch shows that domestic companies have filed over 32,000 patents related to humanoid robots, representing 68% of the global total, while the localization rate of core components has increased to 75%.

The development of the domestic humanoid robot industry is a result of the collaboration between policy guidance, technological advancements, capital investment, and practical applications. On the policy front, a special support system from both central and local governments focuses on the localization and mass production of core components. Technological breakthroughs in foundational algorithms and servo drives have resolved production bottlenecks. Financially, multi-billion yuan industrial funds are boosting differentiated financing strategies for listed and pre-listed companies. Demands in various sectors such as industry, healthcare, and consumer markets are prompting companies to refine their positioning and engage in layered competition.

In 2026, the humanoid robot industry will officially enter a phase of aggressive mass production, benefiting from the technological, policy, and market foundations laid in 2025. According to Jibao Consulting, global shipment volumes are predicted to exceed 50,000 units, representing a staggering 700% increase year-on-year. Over 150 domestic companies are collaborating, including leading listed firms and promising pre-listed enterprises. Listed companies leverage capital advantages to enhance production capacity, while pre-listed firms accelerate commercialization to facilitate capacity release and address supply chain bottlenecks, driving the industry towards large-scale commercial delivery.

Currently, the industry exhibits significant layering, characterized by a structure of “leading enterprises, niche breakthroughs, and potential growth.” Leading companies dominate mass production and technical iteration, while niche firms focus on vertical scenarios. Emerging enterprises concentrate on core sectors. These three categories of players collaboratively build a comprehensive industry ecosystem, reinforcing China’s core position in the global humanoid robot market and helping the country maintain its status as a growth engine in the industry.

1. Leading Enterprises: Empowered by Listing and Mass Production

The core trait of leading enterprises is their dual capabilities in financial strength and mass production. This group of established and pre-listed companies utilizes funds raised from listings to enhance production capacity, reinforcing their industry standing through mature mass production. These companies benefit from comprehensive research and development, scalable production capabilities, and market validation, controlling core technologies and supply chains. Listed firms are integrating the industry chain and ramping up production, while pre-listed companies are accelerating financing to support capacity release, becoming the driving force for the industry’s transition from technology validation to large-scale delivery.

Tuosida (300607.SZ, listed): A benchmark for industrial mass production, strengthening global advantages through dual capital operation. As one of the few intelligent equipment firms in China to achieve a closed-loop from “technology-manufacturing-product-scenario,” Tuosida has focused on industrial manufacturing for 18 years. It was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2017 and is planning to issue H-shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in November 2025 to fund technology development and global sales network expansion, thereby enhancing its competitive edge.

Technologically, Tuosida has conquered three foundational technologies: control, servo, and vision. Its new generation X5 intelligent control platform offers over 500 low-level interfaces, achieving millisecond-level response with 500Hz real-time motion control. Its servo system bandwidth approaches 1000Hz, and the humanoid robot “Xiao Tuo” features 21 degrees of freedom (excluding dexterous hands), with an arm repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.05mm. It possesses 3352 TOPS computing power and a VLA large model, enabling a maximum single-arm load of 10kg while weighing only 15kg, giving it a load-to-weight ratio of 0.67, significantly higher than the industry average of 0.2-0.3.

In terms of commercialization, “Xiao Tuo” is the first humanoid robot to be deployed in the injection molding industry, capable of performing over 50 industrial tasks such as palletizing, inspection, and assembly, serving a total of 15,000 clients, with plans to expand into the 3C, automotive parts, and semiconductor sectors. The company has received notable awards, including the “Yanshi Scene Application Intelligence Award” and recognition as one of the “Top 10 Innovative Companies in Embodied Intelligence in China for 2025.” It has established a commercial closed-loop integrating “scenario + robot + data + AI.”

In terms of industry chain layout, Tuosida has formed a complete closed loop involving “core component self-research – whole machine manufacturing – scenario solutions.” Its subsidiary, Evermi, has achieved high-precision cutting of structural components in its five-axis linkage processing center, leading the industry in the localization rate of core components such as servo drives and controllers. The company has also established the “Humanoid Robot Ecological Innovation Alliance” to integrate resources and strengthen competitive barriers.

Yushu Technology (pre-listed, IPO counseling ongoing): A pioneer in consumer-level humanoid robots with high dynamic performance. Yushu Technology has completed IPO counseling and is focusing on the consumer humanoid robot sector, gaining entry into the top tier of pre-listed companies due to its cost-effectiveness and high shipment volumes. The technology emphasizes lightweight design and high dynamic performance, with its core product standing 1.2 meters tall and weighing 35kg. The H1 bipedal robot can perform complex maneuvers such as backflips, while the Tiangong Ultra robot is designed for half-marathon challenges. The company independently develops joint motors and reducers, achieving excellent performance in motion control algorithms.

The commercialization model employs a combination of online e-commerce and offline experience stores, targeting family companionship and educational entertainment scenarios. The industrial-grade H1 is suited for warehouse inspections, while the consumer-grade G1 focuses on household services and educational entertainment. Following its debut at the 2025 Spring Festival Gala, orders for educational scenarios have significantly increased, and the Go2 quadruped robot is being introduced in several primary and secondary schools nationwide. The industry chain adopts a “core component self-research + whole machine integration” model, collaborating with Changsheng Bearings to develop joint modules, demonstrating strong cost control capabilities.

Zhi Yuan Robotics (pre-listed, has secured a listing platform): A benchmark for embodied intelligence, accelerating industrial mass production. Zhi Yuan Robotics has made rapid commercial progress through acquisitions, with its core competitiveness centered on “embodied intelligence + industrial-grade mass production.” The technology encompasses a “body + AI” stack, with its large data collection center supporting the Expedition A series humanoid robots, which are equipped with self-developed embodied intelligence large models. The dual-arm collaboration achieves industrial-grade repeat positioning accuracy, and the robot can autonomously handle loading and maintenance on factory production lines using integrated laser radar and visual navigation.

The commercialization focus is on sectors such as 3C and automotive components, with pilot applications underway on production lines, covering flexible manufacturing, scientific research, and education. Zhi Yuan has received investments from BYD and Hillhouse Capital, leveraging BYD’s supply chain to optimize hardware costs and plans to collaborate with Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. to advance the automation of battery factory operations. The industry chain integrates through investments in ecological partners and co-building scenarios to create a robust industrial ecosystem.

2. Niche Breakthroughs: Precision Layout in Vertical Markets

The niche breakthrough camp avoids all-encompassing competition by focusing on core strengths, achieving differentiated development through singular technological breakthroughs or in-depth exploration of vertical scenarios. This group includes listed niche leaders and distinctive pre-listed companies. Established firms leverage fundraising to enhance technical iterations and small-scale production, while pre-listed companies adapt through flexible models to fit scenarios, accumulating performance and advancing towards listing.

Currently, companies in this sector have moved beyond pure technology validation and have initiated small-scale commercial applications, establishing unique competitive advantages in niche markets to support diversified industry development and broaden application boundaries.

UBTECH (09880.HK, listed): An all-stack layout leading industrial services in dual scenarios. Set to be listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in December 2023, UBTECH plans to acquire A-share Fenglong shares in 2025 to enhance its supply chain, positioning itself as a leading company in niche sectors. The technology emphasizes all-stack self-research, holding 2450 related patents and developing the ROSA 2.0 operating system. The Walker series of industrial humanoid robots supports autonomous battery replacement within three minutes, with core technologies covering multi-modal perception and full-body motion control.

Commercialization efforts are advancing the Walker series in automotive manufacturing and warehousing logistics trials, focusing on factory quality inspection and hazardous operations to create a dual scenario layout of “industry + service,” maintaining a leading market share in the domestic service robot sector. The industry chain is structured as an ecosystem of “hardware + software + services + operations,” with core component suppliers including leading harmonic reducers and Mingzhi Electric, secured with $1 billion in strategic cooperation funding, enhancing production line expansion and technical iteration capabilities.

Shenyang New Century Robotics (300024.SZ, listed): State-owned empowerment, delving into precision industrial scenarios. Leveraging its listed company platform, New Century Robotics serves as a national robotics industrialization base, receiving both policy and capital support while undertaking major national projects. Technologically, they independently develop core components and control systems, with the Ruike series MR73A wheeled humanoid robots featuring 38 driving joints and dual-arm repeat positioning accuracy of ±0.03mm, mastering 3D vision and multi-modal fusion perception algorithms to adapt to high-load and high-precision industrial scenarios.

Commercialization spans four major fields: automotive manufacturing, electronics and semiconductors, aerospace equipment, and warehousing logistics. Collaborations with JD Logistics and China Railway Materials Group focus on scaling pilot applications in precision assembly for electronics manufacturing and logistics at ports. The industry chain builds a full value chain of “core technology – core products – industry solutions,” with core components under independent control, establishing overseas branches in Singapore and Germany for significant global expansion.

Aston (002747.SZ, listed): A benchmark for precision operations focused on high-end manufacturing scenarios. Aston was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2015, with its subsidiary Aston Coolzhu specializing in industrial humanoid robots, supported by investments from the National Advanced Manufacturing Industry Fund. Their core technological advantage lies in joint technology and precision control, with their self-developed “dual-system collaborative control technology” certified by Germany’s TÜV for functional safety, excelling in precision applications such as steel structure welding and micro-screw fastening.

Commercial clients primarily include high-end manufacturing enterprises, penetrating industries such as Great Wall Motors and NIO in chassis screw fastening, and providing precision handling solutions for battery sheets to Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. They have established joint laboratories with Supor and Midea, demonstrating a high penetration rate in high-end manufacturing scenarios. The industry chain forms a closed loop of “core technology – customized solutions – mass delivery,” with a stable supply chain for core components and good adaptability in niche markets.

Yunji Technology (pre-listed): Standardizing service scenarios with mature commercialization. Focused on service humanoid robots, Yunji Technology shows clear listing potential and high maturity in commercialization. Technologically, they have developed a system of “autonomous navigation + intelligent scheduling + closed-loop learning,” enabling their main products to navigate efficiently through crowded spaces, automatically avoiding obstacles in hospital settings. Their service network covers over 32,000 institutional clients nationwide, including hotels such as Marriott and Hilton, and hospitals like Xiehe and Huaxi, providing over 520 million services annually. They employ a dual-driven model of “equipment sales + operational services,” leading in market share for service scenarios.

The industry chain is deeply engaged in “hotels + hospitals,” offering a “rental + pay-per-use” lightweight asset plan with notable scalability in service capabilities.

Fourier Intelligence (pre-listed): Deeply focused on the medical sector, establishing a differentiated technological barrier. Specializing in medical humanoid robots, Fourier is in the cultivation phase for listing, with a research team possessing backgrounds in both robotics and medicine. Their technology constructs a closed-loop of “imaging navigation – precise control – clinical validation,” integrating motion control and sensor technologies with rehabilitation medicine, showing strong adaptability to medical scenarios.

Their commercial products focus on limb function rehabilitation training and movement disorder assessments, exported to 40 countries and 2,000 hospitals, and established in domestic hospitals such as 301 Hospital and Ruijin Hospital. They plan to introduce a “community rehabilitation version” for deeper market penetration. The industry chain builds advantages from clinical data in top-tier hospitals, collaborating with medical equipment companies and research institutions for iterative development, demonstrating excellent capability in the medical sector.

Datar Technology: Innovating with a cloud-brain architecture adaptable to flexible operational contexts. Datar has pioneered a “cloud-brain + robot” distributed architecture that utilizes cloud computing power to compensate for local computing limitations. They have independently developed flexible joint technology with precision up to 0.1mm, capable of simulating fine human finger movements, suitable for electronic assembly and medical care scenarios. They are partnering with Foxconn to establish a production line for 100,000 humanoid robots annually, planning to enter the 3C electronics manufacturing sector while piloting in elderly care homes in Shenzhen and Shanghai to assist with daily activities and monitor health data.

3. Potential Growth: Ecological Collaboration to Foster New Momentum

The potential growth camp is an essential supplement to the industry ecosystem, with diverse paths for development. Some companies align with giants like Huawei and Xiaomi, leveraging their technology and supply chains to lower R&D and mass production barriers; others focus on specialized inspection scenarios to avoid homogenized competition; or they delve into core component research to support the entire industry. Compared to leading and niche camps, this group has not yet achieved large-scale production and is mostly in the preparatory or cultivation stages. However, with differentiated positioning, they are accumulating technological and scenario resources, solidifying their growth foundations, filling market gaps, and fostering new growth momentum while collaborating with other camps to enhance the industry chain, laying the groundwork for future mass production and listing.

Xiaomi CyberOne: Engaging the ecosystem, focusing on consumer home scenarios. Utilizing the full AIoT ecosystem, CyberOne can seamlessly integrate with Xiaomi appliances and smart home devices, supporting voice control and emotion recognition to provide personalized interactive services. Targeting the consumer market, it is aimed at young families and tech enthusiasts, having completed prototype testing and continuously optimizing voice interaction and home integration stability, with plans for price optimization through mass production.

Star Motion: High dynamic empowerment targeting specialized inspection scenarios. Their core product, the STAR1 humanoid robot, features 55 high-degree-of-freedom joints and is equipped with the self-developed ERA-42 embodied intelligence model, allowing agile movement across complex terrains. They are collaborating with the State Grid to pilot power inspection operations, replacing human climbers for fault detection, while also advancing the development of consumer-level companion robots supporting voice interaction and home control.

Peak Robotics: Customization empowerment expanding into diverse service scenarios. Employing a model of “hardware platform secondary development + AI algorithm customization,” they provide tailored solutions for exhibition tours, conference services, and educational training based on hardware like Yushu G1 and Go2, covering capabilities in voice models, motion control, and visual recognition. They have served events such as the Wuhan International Auto Show and Huanghelou Scenic Area, implementing a dual model of “rental + complete machine sales” with high customer satisfaction.

Huawei Technologies: Foundational empowerment, building an industrial collaborative ecosystem. Focusing on “chips + communications + AI,” Huawei provides essential support; the Ascend AI chip meets the computing needs of embodied intelligence large models, and the 5G module ensures real-time control. In collaboration with companies like UBTECH and Leju, they have initiated a “humanoid robot technology empowerment plan” to assist small and medium enterprises in technological iteration and deployment.

Conclusion: Collaborative Layered Development, China Leads Global Industrial Transformation. In 2026, the humanoid robot industry is entering a critical phase of mass production. The structured landscape of “leading enterprises, niche breakthroughs, and potential growth” continues to solidify, forming the core framework for promoting high-quality industrial development. Leading enterprises are persistently overcoming mass production challenges, fortifying their advantages across the entire chain; niche companies are precisely tapping into vertical scenario demands to create differentiated competitiveness; potential firms are amassing strength through ecological collaboration, cultivating new growth points for the industry. These three types of entities complement each other, driving continuous improvement in domestic industrial competitiveness.

With the tripartite support of technological independence, diversified scenarios, and capital policies, China has become a source of innovation and commercialization in the global humanoid robot industry, leading in core component localization rates, patent accumulation, and scenario penetration. In the future, as technological iterations accelerate, application scenarios expand, and international collaborations deepen, domestic humanoid robot companies will continue to break through core technologies, optimize the industry ecosystem, and enhance their influence in the global market. This will propel “Chinese manufacturing” to achieve leapfrog development in high-end equipment, leading the humanoid robot industry into a new phase of large-scale development.