The humanoid robots already have their great stock market phenomenon. Unitree Robotics closed this Wednesday its first session on the Shanghai Stock Exchange with an increase of over 460%, after soaring more than 600% during the day.
The shares ended at 845 yuan, compared to the 150.8 yuan set for the IPO, bringing the valuation of the Chinese company to approximately 50 billion dollars.
The debut makes Unitree one of the most visible examples of the investor enthusiasm that is being generated in China by the combination of artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics.
A $900 million IPO
The company raised approximately 6.1 billion yuan, about 900 million dollars, with its public offering.
The demand had anticipated what could happen this Wednesday: the portion reserved for retail investors recorded an extraordinary oversubscription before the stock market debut.
Unitree was founded in Hangzhou in 2016 by Wang Xingxing and has become especially known for its humanoid and quadruped robots capable of running, dancing, or performing martial arts movements.
The stock market jump has also boosted the value of Wang's stake, who retains around 20% of the company. Reuters estimates that his wealth now exceeds 11 billion dollars.
How much Unitree invoices
Behind the stock market enthusiasm, there is already a real business, although still small compared to the valuation reached on the stock market.
Unitree reported about 1.7 billion yuan —around 250 million dollars— in revenue during 2025, with more than 40% coming from international markets.
The company had also delivered around 18,000 bipedal humanoid robots by July, according to data collected by Reuters before its IPO.
China accelerates its race for humanoid robots
The debut coincides with the World Robotics Conference in Beijing, where more than 300 Chinese companies have showcased around 2,000 products and prototypes.
Beijing considers advanced robotics one of the strategic sectors for its industrial and technological development. The goal is no longer just to manufacture machines capable of performing spectacular demonstrations, but to extend them to factories, logistics, education, hospitality, and services.
The main question is how long it will take for that technology to become a mass market. Many robots continue to be used for demonstrations, research, or data collection, and there is still a considerable distance between their experimental capabilities and their everyday implementation.
The obstacle of the United States
The international growth of Unitree also faces geopolitical difficulties.
The United States has tightened restrictions on certain robots manufactured in China for national security reasons, while Unitree is also listed on a Pentagon list linked to companies considered related to the Chinese military.
None of this has slowed down, at least for now, the appetite of investors. The debut of Unitree represents one of the biggest stock market stunts in the Chinese robotics industry and places a multimillion-dollar valuation on a sector that is still trying to demonstrate how far its true commercial market extends.