Unitree IPO: What you need to know

Unitree's humanoid robots went viral for doing backflips and martial arts — and now the company behind them is going public. With China fast-tracking approval and a $6.2 billion valuation on the table, Unitree's IPO is shaping up to be one of the most-watched listings in robotics. Here's what traders need to know about the company, the opportunity and the risks.

Key Takeaways:

• Unitree is set to IPO on Shanghai's STAR Market at a ~$6.2 billion valuation — the first humanoid AI company to list on China's A-share market.

• Its robots dramatically undercut Western rivals on price and it shipped over 5,500 units in 2025, far outpacing Tesla's ~150.

• Traders can get early exposure to UNITREEUSDT via Bybit's Pre-Market Perpetuals before the stock officially lists.

What is Unitree?

You've likely already seen Unitree's robots go viral on social media. Unitree (officially Yushu Technology) is a Chinese company based in Hangzhou that builds humanoid and quadruped (four-legged) robots powered by AI. 

Think of Unitree as China's answer to Boston Dynamics, or even Tesla's humanoid robots.

Its robots can walk, run, and even do martial arts - such demonstrations went viral globally and is now pivoting its main business toward humanoid models used in factories and research.

It's a fast-growing market. Morgan Stanley estimates that China could ship out 50,000 humanoid robots this year.

Why Unitree stands out

1) Unitree's robots are surprisingly cheap

Unitree's biggest edge is price.

Its humanoid robots can cost less than a car - dramatically undercutting Western rivals.

Besides the cost, Unitree's robots are outperforming on other metrics:

• Its flagship H1 model carries up to 30 kg of payload at 73 kg body weight - strong hardware specs versus peers.

• It supplies robots to major AI and tech research institutions globally, giving it real-world training data that competitors lack.

• Unitree shipped over 5,500 robots in 2025, far outperforming its US peers (Tesla shipped roughly 150 units last year).

2) Unitree's IPO (initial public offering) was fast-tracked in record time

Unitree formally launched its IPO on July 30, 2026 on Shanghai's STAR Market (China's version of Nasdaq for high-tech companies).

The robotics firm is looking to sell at least 40 million shares to raise 4.2 billion yuan (~$620 million) at a total company valuation of roughly 42 billion yuan (~$6.2 billion). 

China's regulators fast-tracked approval in a record 104 days, signaling strong government backing for the robotics sector.

It is the first humanoid AI company to list on China's domestic A-share market, giving it a first-mover branding advantage.

3) Unitree IPO is set to be a trail blazer

Unitree's IPO is widely seen as a valuation benchmark for the entire Chinese humanoid robot sector.

That means, how Unitree stocks trade will set the price reference for every robotics IPO that follows.

However, there is a reality-check narrative building: dozens of Chinese robotics startups are racing to list, and some analysts warn that investor enthusiasm may be running ahead of actual commercial revenues. 

Large-scale robot production is still seen as several years away without further technological breakthroughs.

Pre-IPO buzz 

Although the IPO subscription period only just launched, the buzz surrounding Unitree is significant:

• May 2026: When Unitree's IPO review date was announced, stocks of its suppliers and investors surged 15–18% in a single day.

• 3 July 2026: When CSRC approval was announced, UB Tech and Horizon Robotics soared 10% and 14% respectively.

Key risks

• Unitree may not be able to sell new models in the US

On Friday, July 31st, Unitree shared an updated IPO prospectus, saying it requires FCC (Federal Communications Commission) authorization to sell new robot models in the US.

The world's biggest economy accounted for 13-19.5% of Unitree's annual revenue from 2023-2025.

Although Unitree's existing humanoid and quadruped models have been authorized, the FCC may escalate actions to dampen such sales.

• Pre-IPO buzz may fizzle out

Just consider SpaceX that is about 17% below its IPO price at the time of writing (before US markets open on Friday, July 31st).

It remains to be seen whether the pre-IPO buzz will translate into actual stock gains when Unitree goes public: i.e. its stocks are made accessible to everyday traders and investors. 

READ MORE:

• published July 7: Think SpaceX stocks have peaked? You might be surprised by Wall Street's forecasts!

• published June 9: Battle of the Mega IPOs 2026 - SpaceX vs. Anthropic vs. OpenAI

• published May 21: Elon Musk set to be world’s first Trillionaire on SpaceX IPO! 

How to trade Unitree on Bybit Pre-Market Perpetuals

You can trade UNITREE as a Pre-Market Perpetual contract, a USDT-settled contract that lets you trade a token's perpetual before it officially lists on Bybit Derivatives.

1. Fund your Unified Trading Account (UTA) with USDT.

2. Search for the UNITREEUSDT ticker in the Trade → Futures → Pre tab.

3. If the contract is in Call Auction mode, tap Auction Now and place a limit order at your desired price. If it's in Continuous Auction mode, all order types are supported — trade as you would a standard perpetual contract.

4. Adjust your leverage settings according to your personal risk management strategy.

5. Input your order details, then click on Long or Short to execute your trade.

How to cancel your order

1. Orders can be canceled within 20 minutes after the call auction starts, or during the Continuous Auction phase.

2. Go to your Current Orders tab and click Cancel.

The bottom line

Unitree's IPO marks a milestone for China's robotics ambitions, but hype and fundamentals don't always move in the same direction. Traders looking for early exposure can access UNITREEUSDT through Bybit's Pre-Market Perpetuals — just keep an eye on regulatory headwinds and whether post-listing demand matches the pre-IPO buzz.

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