According to TrendForce's latest research on the robotics industry, humanoid robot deployments in China are beginning to enter diverse scenarios, including automotive, 3C, aviation, logistics, and energy, putting product commercialization to the test.
TrendForce estimates that China's humanoid robot market will reach RMB 15 billion in 2026. As mass production scales up and application scenarios expand, market growth in 2027 is expected to remain at no less than 60%.
The firm noted that the 2026 World Robot Conference (WRC), held on August 19 (today), has introduced a “Procurement Day” for the first time, focusing on procurement discussions and industrial-chain matchmaking. This reflects the industry's shift from technology demonstrations toward actual demand.
Humanoid robots are also a major focus of this year's WRC, with leading manufacturers unveiling new products. For example, Unitree Robotics released a video of its new “Superman” robot before the exhibition, highlighting its ability to jump 2 meters high from a standing position and reach a top speed of 12.66 meters per second. This shows that companies are still rapidly advancing robotic platform performance. However, the market is more concerned with whether products can move from exhibition halls into commercial settings. In addition to demonstrating difficult movements and AI capabilities, participating companies are actively showcasing robots' abilities in material handling, quality inspection, logistics, and other tasks.
Looking at the recent development of China's major humanoid robot manufacturers, Agibot had produced a cumulative 15,000 robots by June 2026 and continues to expand into 3C manufacturing scenarios. UBTECH's products have been deployed by customers including Airbus, while its U1 had 13,361 reservations by the end of June. Galbot has partnered with CATL and won a RMB 236 million contract for the procurement of embodied-intelligence equipment.
The firm believes that beyond the various robot demonstrations at WRC, the market should watch which products have identified customers and begun volume deliveries, as well as whether initial customers can generate repeat orders. For China's humanoid robot industry, the next phase will focus not only on technological competition but also on validating the ability to deliver continuously and achieve profitability.