US humanoid robot ban lands as China’s robot makers line up to go public
[]( June 29, 2026 Unitree has spent 2026 experiencing both halves of the US relationship at once. Nvidia named the company’s H2 Plus as the hardware foundation for its open GR00T reference humanoid platform in June; the same month, the US government flagged...
Key takeaways
- The United States has enacted a comprehensive ban on new imports of foreign‑made humanoid robots, with the Trump administration citing national‑security risks and concerns that Chinese robots could gather sensitive data and supply it back to Beijing.
- The ban, announced on July 28, 2026, also covers four‑legged robots and foreign power inverters used in data centres, reflecting fears that such components could undermine U.S.
- In the wake of the ban, Chinese robot makers—particularly Unitree, which has partnered with Nvidia to use the Blackwell chip—are preparing to go public, while other firms like UBTech, AgiBot, Leju Robotics, and DEEP Robotics have filed for listings on Hong Kong and mainland exchanges.
- Meanwhile, the industry’s rapid pace continues: a Chinese humanoid robot won a Beijing half‑marathon in early 2026, and the World AI Conference in Shanghai showcased a fleet of Chinese humanoid robots, underscoring the country’s dominant 85 % share of the global market.
- U.S. investors are taking notice; Morgan Stanley and Barclays have projected that the humanoid sector could reach $5 trillion by 2050 and $200 billion by 2035, with Hightower’s chief strategist encouraging clients to explore opportunities, especially as Amazon’s 2025 shareholder letter hinted at the company’s deployment of a million robots.
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June 29, 2026 Unitree has spent 2026 experiencing both halves of the US relationship at once. Nvidia named the company’s H2 Plus as the hardware foundation for its open GR00T reference humanoid platform in June; the same month, the US government flagged Unitree as a potential security risk with alleged military ties and barred it from Department of Defence contracts. Skip to content
TechHQ is part of the TechForge Publications series. A debut had been reported as possible before the end of July, which would make it the first humanoid robot developer on China’s A-share market.
Hong Kong-listed UBTech got there via a different exchange in 2023; AgiBot is reportedly planning a Hong Kong listing next year at a valuation of up to US$6.4 billion, and IPO applications from Leju Robotics and DEEP Robotics have been accepted in Shenzhen and Shanghai, respectively.
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