China leads humanoid robot sales amid U.S. security bans

China has established leadership in the humanoid robot market, selling nearly 11,600 units in 2025. Amid this growth, the Chinese manufacturer Unitree Robotics has opened applications for an initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, a move that could value the company at over 50 billion yuan.

In contrast, the United States has implemented bans on the entry of new foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots. The Federal Communications Commission and the Pentagon have raised security concerns, suggesting these devices could be used for data collection, surveillance, or remote control by foreign intelligence services. While Beijing maintains that these restrictions are a pretext to protect American markets, U.S. officials have pointed to security vulnerabilities in certain Chinese models that could allow unauthorized access via voice commands.