Unitree, famous for its dancing robots, surges by 460% on its trading debut, lifting valuation to $66 billion, far ahead of U.S. competitors

Unitree, a Chinese manufacturer of humanoid robots, experienced an incredible surge in its trading debut, with shares soaring by more than 460%. This impressive performance lifted the company's valuation to approximately $66 billion, placing it ahead of larger U.S. tech firms such as Baidu and JD.com. Unitree's IPO raised around $900 million on Shanghai's STAR Market, bringing its valuation to $9 billion prior to the trading day.

After today's meteoric rise, the company is now worth considerably more than the most valuable U.S.-based robotics firm, Figure AI, which secured a $39 billion valuation in a September 2025 funding round.

Unitree's impressive revenue of 1.7 billion yuan ($252 million) in 2025 was primarily generated from international sales, accounting for nearly 45% of the total. The company also managed to generate 600 million yuan ($89 million) in profit last year, with the majority of its sales directed towards research purposes. Major Chinese tech companies and state-owned enterprises are starting to explore using humanoid robots in their operations, indicating a growing interest in the sector.

Backed by fellow Hangzhou startup DeepSeek, as well as major tech firms like Alibaba, Ant Group, and Tencent, Unitree has also received critical support from several state-backed investment funds. Its rapid product iteration and continuous innovation have provided Unitree with a significant first-mover advantage in the Chinese robotics market. Unitree's humanoid robots have even gained attention for their synchronized dance performances at China's CCTV Spring Festival Gala, the country's most-watched television show.

In 2025, Unitree founder Wang Xingxing was granted a rare invitation to a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, joining other tech leaders such as Alibaba founder Jack Ma, BYD founder Wang Chuanfu, and DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng. Although some analysts remain skeptical about the sustainability of the current humanoid robot shipment upcycle, China's robotics sector, especially in the field of humanoids, is rapidly advancing.