China is leading as a global innovator in humanoid robotics, according to a new LexisNexis patent analysis. The report analyzed more than 26,000 patent families to identify the countries and companies that are leading innovation in humanoid robotics. China claimed the top five spots.
In total, Chinese companies occupy six of the 10 spots for the most innovative humanoid robotics startups in the world, according to the report. Shanghai-based Fourier and AgiBot ranked first and second, followed by Shenzhen-based LimX Dynamics and Pudu Robotics, and Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics. Shenzhen’s Leju Robotics also made the top 10, ranking ninth.
Three US companies—Figure AI, Apptronik, and Agility Robotics—ranked sixth, eighth, and 10th, while Germany’s Agile Robots was the only European company to make the list.
Rather than relying on public attention or product demonstrations, the study assessed innovation through patent portfolios using the firm’s Patent Asset Index, which measures patent portfolio size, technological relevance, and market coverage.
China is number one in humanoid robotics
According to the report, “China has become the clear scale leader in humanoid robotics innovation.” By the end of 2025, China accounted for 73% of the world’s active morphology-related patent portfolio and 63% of global portfolio strength in that field.
The analysis also found that China’s innovation has accelerated rapidly over the past decade. Patent activity doubled in interaction systems, increased approximately 2.5-fold in robot morphology, and grew fivefold in control and planning architectures.
Chinese inventors are becoming “increasingly prominent across the humanoid robotics landscape,” according to the report.
The report did, however, find that the U.S. continues to lead in patent quality. U.S.-based inventors account for only 5% of active morphology-related patent families but contribute 11% of global portfolio strength. The report noted that the United States “maintains the highest average patent quality” across the three core technology areas examined.
Many of the strongest patent portfolios belong to companies whose primary businesses extend beyond humanoid robotics. Leading organizations include Fanuc, Alphabet, Nvidia, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Intuitive Surgical, alongside China’s Chinese Academy of Sciences. For nine of the 10 strongest organizations, humanoid robotics patents represent less than 10% of their overall patent holdings.
One notable exception is China’s UBTECH, which the report noted “shows how focused patent investment can support commercial scale.” The company holds 370 relevant patent families, with more than a quarter of its overall patent portfolio dedicated to humanoid robotics technologies.
Tensions on the rise, perfect timing
These findings have surfaced as competition between China and the United States over advanced technologies continues to intensify. According to the South China Morning Post, just this week the Trump administration announced restrictions on imports of new robots and power inverters, citing national security concerns and supply chain vulnerabilities.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved legislation prohibiting the Pentagon from procuring or operating humanoid robotic systems linked to designated foreign adversaries, including China—even as China leads the world in this space.
Despite growing geopolitical tensions, the report concludes that patent data provides a valuable indicator of future commercial leadership. It argues that “the most valuable insight often comes from connecting different signals,” combining patent strength, technology classification, and business context to identify the companies best positioned to shape the future of humanoid robotics.
