Humanoid robots showcased remarkable advancements during the 2026 Spring Festival Gala, demonstrating significant improvements in mobility and intelligence within just one year. During the Hong Kong stock market's holiday trading session, robotics-related stocks outperformed the broader market. Leading companies such as UBTECH ROBOTICS (09880), Hesai-W (02525), and DOBOT (02432) saw their shares rise. Analysts suggest that the robots' performances at the gala not only highlight rapid technological iteration in the domestic supply chain but also signal the industry's transition from proof-of-concept validation to mass production. Core components and OEM manufacturing for humanoid robots are expected to experience significant industrial catalysts.
This year's gala featured four domestic robotics firms—Songyan Dynamics, Yushu Technology, Magic Atom, and Galaxy General—each participating in different segments including skits, martial arts, singing, and short films. Yushu Technology's G1 and H2 humanoid robots performed in a martial arts routine titled "Wu BOT," executing complex parkour moves and completing the world’s first seven-and-a-half Airflare spin. Songyan Dynamics deployed its full product lineup in a comedy skit with actors Cai Ming and Wang Tianfang, where its bio-inspired robots performed backflips, told jokes, and achieved precise lip-sync through 32 facial drive motors. Magic Atom's panda-themed quadruped robot, MagicDog, delivered a large-scale synchronized performance in the Yibin segment, while Galaxy General's robot demonstrated delicate hand movements such as folding clothes and skewering sausages in a Lunar New Year micro-film.
Beyond the main gala, regional TV stations also incorporated robotic performances. For instance, Zhiyuan Robot appeared on Henan TV, Zhongqing Robot on Shenzhen TV, and Guanggu Dongzhi Robot on Hubei TV. Data revealed that within two hours of the gala's broadcast, searches for robots on JD.com surged by over 300%, customer inquiries increased by 460%, and orders grew by 150%. New orders spanned more than 100 cities across China, from major metropolitan areas to smaller counties.
Notably, a series of supportive policies from central and local governments have accelerated the commercialization of humanoid robots. On February 14, economic and industrial authorities in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei jointly issued a notice identifying key research areas for humanoid robotics, including high-torque lower-body joints, high-precision upper-body joints, and multi-degree-of-freedom dexterous hands. Additionally, guidelines from the National Development and Reform Commission emphasized government investment in early-stage, long-term, and hard-tech sectors, listing humanoid robots alongside metaverse, brain-computer interface, and quantum information technologies as core future industries.
Western Securities noted that the adoption of humanoid robots in industrial and consumer settings is likely to accelerate. 2026 is seen as a turning point for small-scale deployment, particularly in labor-intensive roles. Consumer applications also show promise, with Songyan Dynamics' robots being used in university labs and K-12 AI classes, while Galaxy General's robots are already deployed in retail and pharmaceutical sorting. Multiple domestic robot makers appearing on the gala signal improvements in hardware reliability and AI modeling, paving the way for broader adoption in home and education settings.
Zheshang Securities indicated that the robotics sector is entering a phase of scaled production, with Tesla’s supply chain expected to begin mass production in the latter half of the year. Domestic manufacturers are likely to follow, creating synergistic opportunities across the global supply chain. CITIC Securities views the current period as a critical inflection point for the industry, driven by advances in computing power, algorithms, and precision manufacturing. They anticipate 2026 to be the "first year of mass production," supported by proactive regulation and capital market reforms facilitating IPOs in A-shares and Hong Kong.
Related stocks: UBTECH ROBOTICS (09880) – On February 1, the company open-sourced its embodied AI model "Thinker," which ranked first in nine global benchmarks including spatial reasoning and task planning, establishing itself as a lightweight, open-source platform for industrial humanoid robots.
HORIZONROBOT-W (09660) – In December 2025, Daiwa Capital Markets reported that the company plans to introduce city navigation on pilot (NOA) for mass-market vehicles and unveiled its fourth-generation BPU architecture, while also expanding into humanoid robotics. The firm reiterated a "buy" rating and raised its target price to HK$11.8.
HK ROBOTICS (00370) – Recently, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with the Hong Kong Logistics Robotics Research Centre to collaborate on full-sized bipedal humanoid robots. The partnership will focus on applying embodied intelligence in commercial, hospitality, and home service scenarios. The company also secured an order for over 1,000 robots worth RMB 300 million, now in the delivery phase.
Hesai-W (02525) – Both of Yushu Technology’s humanoid robots featured at the gala were equipped with Hesai’s JT128 lidar. Dozens of G1 robots and one H2 model performed synchronized "cyber kung fu" on stage. Hesai’s JT-series lidar, widely used in embodied AI robots, has cumulatively shipped over 200,000 units.
GEEKPLUS-W (02590) – The company recently launched Gino 1, the world’s first general-purpose robot designed for warehouse applications. It offers high reliability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, enabling faster commercial adoption. The product is already mass-production ready.
DOBOT (02432) – On February 4, the company began mass delivery of its third batch of full-sized industrial humanoid robots, model ATOM, standing 165cm tall. This marks the start of its 2026 large-scale delivery target and signals the expansion into real-world industrial applications.
Comments