The market for humanoid robots is accelerating: in the first half of 2026, roughly 19,100 units shipped worldwide – more than three times as many as in the same period last year. Over 97 percent of them came from Chinese manufacturers.
A market takes off
Global shipments rose from around 5,100 units in the first half of 2025 to about 19,100 – a jump of roughly 272 percent. There is also a notable shift in use: over 70 percent of the robots went into industrial and commercial applications, up from around 50 percent a year earlier.
China clearly ahead
Chinese manufacturers account for more than 97 percent of global shipments. The leader is Shanghai-based Agibot with 8,400 units shipped (a 44 percent market share), ahead of Unitree with 5,900 units.
The outlook
Analysts expect around 60,000 units shipped for full-year 2026 – and half a million a year by 2030. The sector is thus moving from prototypes toward mass production.
