Chinese robotics giant Unitree soars in stock market debut

The world's biggest humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics made its stock market debut in Shanghai on Wednesday, with its shares soaring by more than 600% in early trading.

In the highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO), the Chinese firm's shares opened at 1,100 yuan (£120.60; $163.12), before giving up some of the gains to trade at around 900 yuan.

The listing on the technology-focused Star Market - which is widely known as China's Nasdaq - marks a milestone for Beijing's ambitious plans for the country's robotics industry.

It comes as the US and China are battling to dominate the global market for robots and artificial intelligence (AI) models that power them.

While Unitree is not the first Chinese humanoid robot maker to list on the stock market, its debut marks the first in mainland China.

Robots like automated industrial equipment and smart vacuum cleaners are already widely used in factories, warehouses and homes.

Now, the humanoid robotics industry is attracting huge amounts of investment as major companies - including Tesla, BYD and Amazon - are developing two-legged machines capable of performing tasks usually carried out by people.

Unitree, officially known as Yushu Technology Co Ltd, was founded in 2016 and now plays a key role in Beijing's ambitions to develop advanced technology.

It has become a robotics industry leader, selling devices from sensors and automated arms to four-legged and human-like machines.

The firm shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots last year as demand for the technology grows.

Unitree is one of the few companies in the sector to make money, delivering a net profit of 278 million yuan in 2025.

It is a fierce rival to developers in the US as it produces robots with similar features but at lower prices.