China’s humanoid robot industry is moving towards wider commercial deployment, with applications expanding across automotive, 3C electronics, aerospace, logistics and energy.
According to TrendForce’s latest robotics industry research, the focus is increasingly shifting from technology demonstrations towards actual market demand as companies test the commercial viability of humanoid robots.
The 2026 World Robot Conference, which opens on Aug 19, will introduce a ‘Procurement Day’ for the first time, bringing together procurement negotiations and industry supply chain matchmaking.
The move reflects the industry’s growing emphasis on translating technological advances into actual orders and commercial applications.
TrendForce estimates that China’s humanoid robot market will reach CNY15 billion in 2026 and maintain growth of at least 60% in 2027 as mass production expands and applications increase.
Vendors push robot performance and practical applications
Humanoid robots are again expected to be a major focus at this year’s World Robot Conference, with leading vendors set to unveil new products.
Unitree released a video of its new ‘Superman’ robot ahead of the event, highlighting its ability to jump two metres vertically and sprint at speeds of up to 12.66 metres per second.
The development illustrates the continued rapid progress in robot performance.
However, attention is increasingly turning to whether humanoid robots can move beyond exhibitions and into practical commercial use.
Besides demonstrations of complex movements and artificial intelligence capabilities, participating vendors are expected to highlight applications such as material handling, quality inspection and logistics.
Among China’s major humanoid robot vendors, AgiBot had produced a cumulative 15,000 robots as of June 2026 and continues to expand into 3C manufacturing applications.
UBTECH’s products have been deployed by customers including Airbus, while preorders for its U1 robot reached 13,361 units by the end of June.
Galbot, meanwhile, is collaborating with CATL and has secured a CNY236 million procurement order for embodied AI equipment.
Repeat orders remain crucial
Despite the growing number of applications, TrendForce noted that adoption remains at different stages, including formal procurement, preorders, expressions of intent and application partnerships.
The market is still some distance from large-scale, standardised repeat purchases.
For vendors, the key challenge is whether customers will place repeat orders after initial deployments.
Companies must also determine whether hardware and maintenance costs, together with actual operating efficiency, can provide a reasonable return on investment.
TrendForce said the industry should look beyond initial orders and assess whether early deployments can develop into sustained demand and repeat business.
Revenue rises as profits face pressure
Unitree provides an important case study in the commercialisation of humanoid robots in China.
The company listed on Shanghai’s STAR Market on Aug 19, with its market capitalisation briefly reaching CNY444.9 billion after trading began, reflecting strong capital market expectations for the sector’s growth potential.
However, its recent financial performance also highlights the pressure facing vendors as they expand production.
Unitree’s 2025 revenue reached CNY1.699 billion, more than tripling year-on-year, while its revenue in the first half of 2026 is estimated to grow by 36% to 45%.
At the same time, recurring net profit is projected to decline by 6% to 22% year-on-year. Its profit in the first quarter of 2026 had already fallen by 52.55% from a year earlier.
The figures show that strong revenue growth has yet to guarantee improved profitability.
As humanoid robots move towards mass production, companies face the challenge of achieving cost advantages through higher shipment volumes while improving their financial performance.
TrendForce said the market should focus on products with confirmed customers and continuing volume deliveries, while also assessing whether initial orders translate into repeat business.
The future of China’s humanoid robot industry, it said, will depend not only on technological progress, but also on consistent delivery and profitability.
