Chinese robotics manufacturer Unitree has informed investors that newly imposed U.S. restrictions on foreign-built robots do not affect its six best-selling models, all of which secured regulatory clearance before the policy change took effect.

Washington has introduced a fresh round of restrictions targeting Chinese technology, part of a multi-year pattern of trade and national-security measures that have previously swept up companies such as Huawei, DJI, and Hikvision. The FCC's Covered List, in particular, is designed to block equipment deemed to pose unacceptable supply-chain security risks to U.S. communications networks. However, Unitree reportedly obtained the necessary authorizations in advance, shielding its current product portfolio from the new rules.

FCC Equipment Authorization Secured Ahead of Policy Change

Board secretary Fu Fenghua stated during an online investor session tied to Unitree's Shanghai STAR Market listing that the company's G1, H2, and R1 humanoid robots, along with its Go2, B2, and A2 quadruped robots, all received U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) equipment authorization before the new policy went into effect.

The FCC added foreign-produced advanced robotic devices and power inverters commonly used in solar equipment to its Covered List, a national-security roster first published in 2021. The revised rules target mobile, communicating robots weighing more than two kilograms that incorporate onboard sensing and some degree of autonomy, restricting new products in those categories from being imported. The move reflects growing U.S. concern that networked robots with cameras, microphones, and autonomous navigation capabilities could serve as vectors for data collection or surveillance, a concern previously raised about Chinese-made drones and IoT devices.

All six Unitree models fall within the category identified by the FCC, but since each was already certified, their sales in the U.S. market can continue for now.

Unitree, which is days away from pricing its STAR Market IPO, emphasized in its updated IPO prospectus that its major products remain unaffected by the restrictions. The company cautioned, however, that new models developed after the cutoff could be blocked from entering the U.S. unless they receive a specific exemption or conditional approval. The recently declared unauthorized models can now only enter the U.S. if the Department of Defense grants conditional approval.

IPO Pricing and Revenue Exposure

Unitree's overseas markets accounted for more than 40% of revenue across each of the company's three reporting periods. However, the U.S. share of revenue declined to 13.30% in the most recent period, down from 18.39% and 19.54% in earlier periods. The company reports that its humanoid robot shipments ranked first worldwide in 2025. The global humanoid robotics sector has drawn intensifying investment from both startups and established players across the U.S., China, and Europe, with applications expanding from research and entertainment into logistics, inspection, and industrial tasks.

The company filed for a roughly $610 million offering in March, set preliminary price consultations for August 5, and opened subscriptions on August 10. Unitree initially planned to raise approximately 4.2 billion yuan ($618 million) to fund robot research, hardware development, and a new manufacturing base. Strong investor demand, however, led the company to price the offering at 6.1 billion yuan (approximately $898.4 million). The Shanghai STAR Market, China's Nasdaq-style technology board launched in 2019, has become a primary listing venue for the country's advanced-manufacturing and AI firms.

Broader U.S. Scrutiny of Chinese Technology

The FCC is also drafting a separate proposal to bar new Chinese-made optical transceivers from U.S. data centers, a measure that would impact firms such as Zhongji Innolight. Separately, U.S. officials are reviewing whether China has managed to obtain restricted NVIDIA AI chips through offshore channels.

China's Ministry of Commerce has called the FCC's action discriminatory despite its neutral wording and urged the U.S. to withdraw it, warning that China would take countermeasures if Washington proceeds.