Global shipments of humanoid robots surged to around 18,000 units in 2025, up 508 percent year on year, with Chinese firms dominating the market share, according to a report released by the International Data Corporation (IDC) on Thursday. 

Global revenue from humanoid robots reached about $440 million last year. Full-size humanoid robots, with broader application scenarios and higher sale prices, accounted for the largest share of market revenue in 2025, making up 41.6 percent of the total, the report said.

AgiBot ranked first in global humanoid robot shipments in 2025 with about 5,200 units, including 1,300 full-size humanoid robots, followed by Unitree Robotics, according to the IDC's report.

However, Unitree Robotics announced on Thursday that its humanoid robot shipments exceeded 5,500 units last year, adding that the number of orders was even higher than the deliveries.

In 2025, China released more than 330 humanoid robot products, Zhang Yunming, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Wednesday.

Robots used for entertainment and commercial performances accounted for the largest share of shipments in 2025, followed by those for research and education, data collection, exhibition and reception, industrial intelligent manufacturing and warehousing and logistics, the IDC's report said.

The report predicted that industry competition would shift from hardware to technological capabilities, services and ecosystems. "Leading vendors are expected to maintain a clear advantage, while smaller companies need to focus on specific applications," said Li Junlan, an analyst at the IDC.