Unitree shares soar in Chinese market debut as robotics interest grows

Chinese humanoid-robot maker Unitree made a sharply higher stock-market debut on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, with its shares climbing from an initial public offering price of 150.8 yuan to as much as 1,100 yuan before paring the gain to about 500%.

The company, formally known as Yushu Technology, was founded in 2016 and shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots in 2025. Its machines have gained international attention through demonstrations involving martial arts, running and live entertainment.

Demand from Chinese retail investors was exceptionally strong, with the portion of the offering reserved for individual buyers oversubscribed by thousands. Unitree is among a small number of publicly traded humanoid-robot manufacturers, while several other Chinese robotics companies are also preparing listings.

The debut coincided with the opening of the World Robot Conference in Beijing. Investment in humanoid robotics has accelerated as the sector becomes a prominent part of competition in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.

Unitree is backed by Chinese technology groups including Tencent and Alibaba. Founder and chief executive Wang Xingxing owns about one-fifth of the company. The firm has said its robots are intended for civilian use.