China Sweeps Humanoid Robot Patent Rankings: 6 of Top 10 Startups Are Chinese, as FCC Moves to Block Imports

Here is the full top 10 ranking:

Source: LexisNexis Intellectual Property Solutions, July 29, 2026

Chinese companies not only secured six of the ten spots but also claimed the top five positions outright. The remaining four top-10 positions are held by two U.S. startups (Figure AI and Apptronik), one German firm (Agile Robots), and a further U.S. entity .

Notably, the ranking excludes major public companies such as Tesla and its Optimus robot program, focusing exclusively on privately held startups .

China's Patent Volume Lead

The LexisNexis analysis highlighted a "clear shift towards China" in the humanoid robot patent race . Over the past decade, Chinese patent applications in key humanoid technologies—interaction, morphology, and control—have surged . In morphology-related patents alone, China now holds 73% of the global total . The sharpest growth has been concentrated in autonomous decision-making systems, the technology that determines whether robots can operate effectively in unstructured commercial environments .

U.S. Quality Edge Persists

While China leads in patent volume, some analysts note that U.S. inventions continue to outperform on quality metrics . The LexisNexis ranking uses a quality-weighted index, not merely patent count, but even by this measure Chinese startups dominate the top positions . The broader picture is one of an intensifying race: China has established a clear lead in quantity, while the U.S. retains pockets of higher-quality innovation, particularly in foundational control and AI systems .

Policy Backdrop: FCC Moves to Ban Chinese Robot Imports

The report's release coincides with a significant U.S. policy action. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving to ban new imports of Chinese-made robots, citing national security concerns . Separately, Washington is also considering broader restrictions on robot imports from China . This policy push forms the immediate context for the patent data: the U.S. is attempting to curb reliance on Chinese-made hardware even as Chinese startups extend their lead in the underlying intellectual property that drives innovation in the sector .

The Chinese dominance in patent filings has real-world market consequences. According to one source citing industry data, Chinese companies accounted for 90% of global humanoid robot shipments in the prior year, while U.S. competitors—including Tesla and Figure AI—have struggled to scale mass manufacturing .