According to Experts.news, global production of humanoid robots has moved from isolated prototypes to the first mass-produced batches; however, the industry remains highly concentrated: Chinese companies accounted for about 85% of shipments in 2025.
According to estimates by the Chinese research center CCID, in 2025, Chinese manufacturers shipped approximately 14,400 humanoid robots, accounting for 84.7% of the global market. Thus, the global total was approximately 17,000 units. Other studies estimate global shipments at approximately 18,000 units.
According to IDC, the number of humanoid robots shipped worldwide in 2025 increased more than sixfold—by approximately 508%. However, statistics from various research organizations differ significantly, as some count only bipedal robots, while others also include wheeled humanoid platforms and general-purpose robots with artificial intelligence.
China remains the only country where humanoid robots are already being produced by the thousands by several manufacturers simultaneously. There are over 140 companies in the country working on humanoid robots, and the number of models available exceeds 330. AGIBOT, Unitree, and UBTECH have become the largest manufacturers.
TrendForce expects Chinese production of humanoid robots to grow by another 94% in 2026. Unitree and AGIBOT are expected to maintain their leading positions thanks to their well-developed supply chains, access to low-cost actuators, batteries, and sensors, and their capacity for mass assembly.
China’s advantage lies not only in artificial intelligence but also in its ability to rapidly reduce the cost of hardware. Some of Unitree’s entry-level models are already priced below $6,000, while most American and European systems are geared toward more expensive industrial pilot projects.
The U.S. lags significantly behind China in terms of the actual number of robots produced, but it has the largest announced manufacturing projects outside of China.
Figure has launched BotQ, a facility whose first production line is designed to produce up to 12,000 humanoid robots per year. In April 2026, the company announced its transition from prototypes to the production phase and that it had reached an assembly rate of one robot per hour.
Agility Robotics operates the RoboFab plant in Oregon with a potential capacity of over 10,000 Digit robots per year. Actual output is currently significantly lower than the stated maximum capacity.
The U.S.-Norwegian company 1X has begun full-scale production of its NEO home robot at a factory in California. Tesla is setting up its first production lines for Optimus but has not yet disclosed confirmed data regarding mass production.
South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group plans to build a facility in the U.S. with a capacity of up to 30,000 robots per year by 2028. The facility is expected to produce, among other things, the Atlas humanoid robots developed by Boston Dynamics. The first Atlas robots are scheduled to arrive at Hyundai’s U.S. facilities in 2028.
One of the most advanced European projects is Germany’s NEURA Robotics, which has developed the 4NE1 humanoid robot.
The company calls it the first European humanoid robot ready for industrial production. NEURA is collaborating with Bosch and Schaeffler, planning to scale up production of robots for industry, logistics, and service tasks.
In 2026, NEURA announced that it had raised up to $1.4 billion to expand mass production and develop a network of centers where robots will be trained to perform real-world tasks.
In Serbia, AGIBOT and Minth Group are preparing to launch a facility in Šabac. The initial production volume is stated at 1,000–2,000 humanoid robots per year. The facility is expected to open in August 2026, although the timeline has already been revised several times. Therefore, Serbia should for now be classified among countries with announced but not yet confirmed mass production.
If the project is implemented, Serbia could become one of the first countries in Europe where Chinese humanoid robots will be mass-produced and adapted for regional markets.
Japan has many years of experience in developing humanoid robots, but so far has focused primarily on research, components, medicine, and elder care. Kawasaki continues to develop the Kaleido platform but has not announced mass production on a scale comparable to that of Chinese companies. TrendForce believes that Japan’s competitive advantage could lie in actuators, sensors, control systems, and solutions for elderly care.
In South Korea, Samsung has acquired control of Rainbow Robotics and intends to integrate its robotics developments with its own artificial intelligence and software technologies. Hyundai is simultaneously developing Atlas through its subsidiary Boston Dynamics, though the group plans to build a large factory in the U.S.
There is no comprehensive international registry of humanoid robot production. Companies disclose the potential capacity of their factories much more frequently than actual production volumes, and the term “humanoid robot” is applied to various types of devices.
The only reliably confirmed fact is China’s leadership, with a share of approximately 85% of global shipments in 2025. The remaining roughly 15% is accounted for primarily by the U.S. and small batches, prototypes, and pilot series from Europe, Japan, and South Korea.
In 2026–2028, the distribution may change following the launch of plants by Figure, Agility Robotics, Tesla, Hyundai, NEURA, and the Serbian AGIBOT project. However, for now, China retains a significant advantage in terms of actual production volume, component costs, and supply chain readiness.
PJSC Dnipro Metallurgical Plant (DMZ), part of businessman Oleksandr Yaroslavsky’s DCH Steel group, has completed its transition to continuous casting, DCH Steel CEO Vitaliy Bash announced in the corporate newspaper on Thursday.
“DMZ has implemented solutions to maintain competitiveness in difficult economic conditions. The transition of rolling production to continuously cast billets, which we purchase from partners, has been completed, allowing us to reduce the cost of metal production. DMZ has expanded its scope of activities by providing laboratory research, repair, and manufacturing services for metal structures and equipment parts, which is already yielding certain economic results,” the CEO noted.
According to him, in 2025, the Sukha Balka mine continued to develop new horizons and updated its equipment fleet to improve safety and production efficiency. An important step was the construction of a solar power plant, which ensured the energy independence of the Frunze mine.
At the same time, he pointed to negative trends in the market, in particular the increase in imports of metal products to Ukraine and the growth of tariffs for state monopolies.
“Together with other metallurgical companies and industry associations, we are systematically working to solve these problems at the state level. Despite all the challenges facing the industry and the country as a whole today, our teams continue to work, plan, and build the future,” said the CEO of DCH Steel.
DMZ specializes in the production of steel, cast iron, rolled products, and products made from them, such as channels and angles, special profiles for mechanical engineering and the mining industry.
On March 1, 2018, the DCH Group signed an agreement to purchase the Dniprovsky Metallurgical Plant.
The Sukha Balka mine is one of the leading enterprises in the mining industry in Ukraine. It extracts iron ore using underground methods. The mine includes the Yuvileina and Frunze mines.
The DCH Group acquired the mine from the Evraz Group in May 2017.
DCH, metallurgical plant, Mine, SOLAR POWER PLANT, TECHNOLOGY
Over three years, JSC Ukrnafta explored 1,330 square kilometers using 3D seismic exploration to expand its resource base and improve the accuracy of geological modeling.
“One of the main strategic objectives is to increase hydrocarbon reserves,” the company said in a statement.
To this end, Ukrnafta is investing in modern geophysical research, which makes it possible to identify new promising reservoirs and plan drilling more efficiently.
According to Yuriy Tkachuk, acting chairman of the board of Ukrnafta, in 2025, the total area of 3D seismic exploration will be approximately 750 square kilometers.
“The field phase has already been completed at two fields, another is in progress, and research at three new fields is planned by the end of the year. This is consistent work that ensures long-term stability of production,” he said.
The company emphasized that Ukrnafta was the first in Ukraine to apply wireless 3D seismic technology in mountainous conditions. This approach makes it possible to work in difficult geological conditions, minimizes environmental impact, reduces the duration of field work, and ensures higher accuracy of geophysical data. The results obtained form the basis of digital geological and hydrodynamic models that help predict production dynamics and make informed technical decisions.
In 2026, the company plans to continue 3D seismic exploration at the most promising fields.
Ukrnafta is Ukraine’s largest oil production company and operates a national network of gas stations. In March 2024, it took over the management of Glusco’s assets and currently operates a total of 663 gas stations. It holds 92 special permits for industrial development of deposits. It has 1,832 oil and 154 gas production wells on its balance sheet.
The largest shareholder of Ukrnafta is Naftogaz of Ukraine with a 50%+1 share. In November 2022, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine decided to transfer the company’s corporate rights, which belonged to private owners, to the state, and they are currently managed by the Ministry of Defense.
Ukrnafta’s net profit for 2024 was UAH 16.38 billion.
South African businessman Errol Musk, father of billionaire Elon Musk, made an exploratory visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, assessing the region’s potential for establishing an Institute for Gravitational and Space-Time Research, which would focus on gravity, space-time, terraforming, and longevity, Reuters reports.
Musk had previously considered Dubai as a potential location but abandoned the idea after friends from the Balkans persuaded him to personally evaluate the potential of Serbia and Bosnia.
He stated that he was pleasantly surprised by the level of infrastructure, business environment, and accessibility, noting: “the economy, the behavior of people… it’s idyllic.”
Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina presented him with an educated workforce and economic potential and offered facilities for the future institute.
Errol Musk visited Serbia and Austria as part of a preliminary regional assessment and expressed confidence that the Balkans represent a more economical and efficient solution than Dubai.
Musk envisions the institute as a privately-run platform, independent of governments, attracting professionals “not under ideological pressure” and interested in radical scientific research. The proposed research areas include gravity, space-time, nuclear fusion, and longevity — topics that go beyond conventional academic science.
Although no final decision has been made, Bosnia and Serbia are being considered by Errol Musk as more cost-effective locations with better human resources than the alternatives.
Since the beginning of 2025, Ukraine’s judicial system has shown some progress in the introduction of new technologies, but there are delays in the consideration of cases and the enforcement of court decisions, according to Vitaliy Chayun, a lawyer at the Barristers law firm.
“The war has affected all aspects of the functioning of the courts, from the physical safety of judges to citizens’ access to justice. Despite this, the courts continue to operate, adapting to the conditions of martial law and the requirements of European integration reforms. In the first half of 2025, the judicial system showed some progress in the implementation of new technologies and reforms, but faced a number of problems, such as delays in the consideration of cases and difficulties in the enforcement of court decisions,” he told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
Chayun recalled that in 2024, 5.3 million cases were submitted to courts of all instances and jurisdictions, of which 4.4 million were considered by the courts.
“Approximately one million cases remain unresolved. This indicates a significant burden on the judicial system, especially given the conditions of martial law and staff shortages. It can be assumed that the number of cases in 2025 will remain high, given the growth in 2024 and the continuation of martial law,” he said.
Chayun noted that in the first half of 2025, Ukraine’s judicial system “continues to adapt to the conditions of war and reform in preparation for EU accession,” and among the main trends in the work of the judicial system is the introduction of remote court hearings, which allow hearings to be held without the physical presence of participants.
“This is especially important in wartime, when many citizens are internally displaced persons or live in combat zones. Given these challenges, the development of remote court proceedings is becoming a priority task, the implementation of which will ensure the effectiveness of court proceedings and procedural economy,” he said.
In addition, Chayun drew attention to the problem of filling judicial vacancies: in 2025, it is planned to appoint 1,800 judges to local courts, 550 to appellate courts, and 25 to the High Anti-Corruption Court. However, due to the length of the appointment procedures, “the judiciary has been ‘bled dry’ for many years.”
Chae also noted the processes of modernizing court IT systems and creating new specialized courts.
Commenting on the length of proceedings in Ukrainian courts, the lawyer pointed out that they “remain one of the key problems.” “Cases can be delayed for years due to a lack of funding for basic needs such as stamps, envelopes, and stationery necessary to send correspondence to parties to the proceedings,” he said.
According to Chayun, the delays affect “all types of cases, including economic cases, which are often complex due to the large number of documents and parties involved.” He recalled that between January and April 2025, 59,400 cases were pending in courts of various instances against the State Tax Service for a total amount of UAH 413.8 billion. At the same time, 6,900 cases worth UAH 78.7 billion were considered, of which 2,300 cases (including non-property disputes) worth UAH 44.4 billion were in favor of the State Tax Service, and 4,600 cases worth UAH 34.3 billion were in favor of taxpayers.
“Although there is no accurate data on the timing of economic cases in the first half of 2025, delays persist due to court overload and limited funding. It is expected that filling judicial vacancies and modernizing IT systems in the future will help speed up the consideration of cases, but in the first half of 2025, no significant improvements were achieved, and the shortage of personnel in the judicial system only exacerbates negative trends,” the lawyer emphasized.
He also drew attention to a number of problems with the enforcement of court decisions. “The enforcement of court decisions remains one of the most acute problems of the judicial system, as more than half of court decisions remain unenforced. In 2025, a new law on the digitization of enforcement proceedings and the implementation of a strategy to improve the work of the enforcement service are planned to be adopted. This demonstrates the state’s recognition of the existing problems in this area. However, during 2025, problems with the enforcement of court decisions are likely to persist due to the insufficient effectiveness of the enforcement service and a lack of resources,” the lawyer said.
“The Ukrainian judicial system showed gradual progress in implementing reforms in the first half of 2025, but delays in the consideration of cases, limited access to justice due to financial and technical problems, and difficulties in enforcing court decisions remain significant challenges. Lawyers are forced to adapt to these conditions, which requires additional efforts to protect their clients’ rights. Further reforms and support from the state and international partners are critical to ensuring effective and fair justice in Ukraine,” he concluded.
The Velta Group, which has assets for the extraction of titanium-bearing ores in Novomyrhorod (Kirovohrad region), has received its third patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its innovative Velta Ti Process technology.
According to a press release on Monday, the new patent confirms the possibility of obtaining high-quality titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a key material for the further production of titanium powder using the Velta Ti Process technology, as well as commercial products based on titanium, iron, calcium, and nitrogen.
It should be noted that Velta Holding US Inc. has obtained three Ukrainian and three US patents since 2020.
Velta Holding US Inc. is a group of companies engaged in the full cycle of titanium production, from the extraction of titanium raw materials through innovation to the manufacture of final metal products.
Velta LLC is a Ukrainian company that is part of the group and is a manufacturer of titanium raw materials and the only private Ukrainian company that has built a titanium mining complex from scratch in the Kirovohrad region. With over 15 years of experience in the mining sector, the company holds 2% of the global titanium market and has partners and customers in Europe and the US.
Velta Holding also includes the Velta RD Titan research and development center and Velta Medical, a manufacturer of custom titanium implants.
Velta Holding LLC is wholly owned by VKF Velta LLC. The ultimate beneficiaries are three individuals: Andriy Brodsky (60%), Vadym Moskalenko (20%), and Vitaliy Malakhov (20%).
PATENT, PROCESSING, TECHNOLOGY, TITANIUM, US, USA, VELTA
