AgiBot dethrones Unitree as world’s top humanoid maker ahead of IPOs
Robotics TechTech Trends # AgiBot overtakes Unitree as top global humanoid robot vendor in first half amid IPO push AgiBot’s shipments surged 562 per cent year on year, supported by a portfolio of full-size bipedals, compact units and wheeled robots 2-MIN R...
Key takeaways
- The most recent coverage shows that humanoid robots are becoming a flashpoint in U.S.–China competition, with the White House banning imports of next‑generation Chinese‑made mobile robots, including humanoids, on July 28 2026, while Chinese manufacturers continue to dominate global shipments, accounting for 97 percent of first‑half deliveries and expanding into overseas markets through new export‑insurance policies and tariff‑code reforms.
- Shanghai‑based AgiBot has surged ahead of rival Unitree, capturing 44 percent of the worldwide market and posting a 562 percent year‑on‑year shipment increase, while Unitree is gearing up for a Shanghai Star Market IPO that could raise roughly $900 million.
- In the United States, Agility Robotics plans to launch its Digit V5 humanoid in December, promising safe, cage‑free operation alongside workers, and a San Mateo County supervisor has introduced a permitting proposal aimed at regulating untethered humanoid robots in commercial settings for safety and economic impact.
- Meanwhile, analysts note that sales of industrial and commercial humanoid robots have tripled over the past year, driven largely by applications in manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics, even as consumer‑grade home‑service models remain years from mass adoption.
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TechTech Trends
AgiBot overtakes Unitree as top global humanoid robot vendor in first half amid IPO push
AgiBot’s shipments surged 562 per cent year on year, supported by a portfolio of full-size bipedals, compact units and wheeled robots
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An Agibot humanoid robot is pictured at the company’s facility in Shanghai, on August 4, 2026. Photo: Xinhua
Richard Chen
China’s AgiBot has surpassed its domestic rival Unitree Robotics to become the world’s largest humanoid robot vendor in the first half of 2026, according to new research, as both industry heavyweights prepare for public listings amid a physical AI boom. Shanghai-based Agibot captured 44 per cent of the global market after shipping roughly 8,400 humanoid robots from January to June, San Francisco-based research firm Smart Analytics Global (SAG) said in a report published on Sunday.
AgiBot’s shipments surged 562 per cent year on year, supported by a diversified product portfolio that included full-size bipedal A-series models, compact X-series units, and wheeled G-series robots, the research firm noted.
Hangzhou-based Unitree fell to second place, shipping about 5,900 units to secure 31 per cent of the global market, SAG reported. Unlike AgiBot’s multi-line push, Unitree’s humanoid shipments remained concentrated in its flagship G1 model, with education, research and performance deployments making up a substantial share. The shift comes as both companies race towards capital markets.
The Unitree Robotics booth at the China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference in Shanghai, August 3, 2026. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
The Unitree Robotics booth at the China Digital Entertainment Expo & Conference in Shanghai, August 3, 2026. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Unitree is preparing for a closely watched listing on Shanghai’s Star Market, an offering widely seen as a bellwether for mainland China’s emerging humanoid sector. The company set its initial public offering price at 150.8 yuan per share, expecting to raise roughly 6.1 billion yuan (US$904 million), according to a filing on Thursday.
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