Finance sector keen to boost robotics industry

As humanoid robots move rapidly from research labs into real-world applications, China's banking and insurance sectors are racing to provide the financial fuel behind the industry's growth, rolling out innovative products, tailored financing solutions and ecosystem support to help robotics companies scale up and accelerate technological breakthroughs.

Statistics released by the People's Bank of China — the country's central bank — show that financial support for technology enterprises continues to strengthen and broaden. As of the end of the first quarter, 294,600 high-tech enterprises had obtained loan support, with a loan approval rate of 58.6 percent, up 1.3 percentage points from the end of the previous year. Outstanding loans to high-tech enterprises in Chinese yuan and foreign currencies reached 20.96 trillion yuan ($3.09 trillion), up 13.6 percent year-on-year and 6.1 percentage points higher than the end of last year.

The nation's six largest State-owned commercial banks remain the backbone of technology finance. Annual reports show that by the end of 2025, their combined outstanding technology loans exceeded 23 trillion yuan. Providing targeted support for innovation in the robotics industry has become a key focus for these banks as they work to foster new quality productive forces and upgrade strategic emerging industries.

Humanoid robotics companies are characterized by high research and development spending, significant technological barriers, strong growth potential and light-asset business models. Most startups rely heavily on intangible assets such as intellectual property and patents, while lacking the collateral typically favored by lenders. As a result, they face challenges including insufficient collateral, difficulties in asset valuation and high barriers to financing.

To address these pain points, major banks have continued to innovate their financial service models, tailoring support to the needs of leading enterprises. Through integrated services encompassing equity investment, lending, bond financing and insurance, they are providing support throughout the entire lifecycle of technology companies and helping them achieve rapid growth.

At the 2026 Beijing E-Town Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon on April 19, humanoid robots appeared alongside human runners. During the event, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China set up a financial service station to provide services for participants and spectators, supporting the successful staging of the technology-focused competition.

In recent years, ICBC Beijing Municipal Branch has provided comprehensive financial support to Beijing Galbot Co, a market-leading company specializing in embodied multimodal large-model general-purpose robotics, helping its technologies move from the laboratory to large-scale production.

ICBC Financial Asset Investment Co, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the bank, also participated in an equity investment in Galbot in December, injecting long-term capital into the company while leveraging industrial and financial resources to strengthen corporate governance and industrial collaboration.

Zhejiang Hechuan Technology Co, also known as HCFA, is specialized in industrial automation and has steadily advanced its humanoid robotics R&D efforts in recent years. However, intensive technological breakthroughs and product iterations have led to mounting financial pressure for the company.

After learning of HCFA's financing needs, the Longyou subbranch of China Construction Bank in Quzhou, Zhejiang province, designed a customized financial service package based on the company's operational characteristics, cash flow patterns and development plans. The subbranch extended nearly 200 million yuan in credit to HCFA, ensuring the company could smoothly advance its technological R&D and commercialization efforts.

Qinglong Lite, a humanoid robot co-developed by HCFA, made its debut at the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, and participated in a fun run event in Longyou county in Quzhou in March.

On April 17, Manycore Tech, a Hangzhou-based provider of spatial intelligence services, was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The company's spatial intelligence technology supports embodied AI and robot training. Several commercial banks and their subsidiaries provided financial support for the company's listing in Hong Kong.

Bank of China, together with Bank of China (Hong Kong) Ltd and its overseas investment banking platform BOC International Holdings Ltd, provided a range of services for Manycore Tech and its subsidiaries, including credit facilities, cross-border cash management, IPO fundraising account services and underwriting support.

CCB International (Holdings) Ltd, the financial and investment services flagship of CCB, served as joint sponsor, overall coordinator, joint global coordinator, joint book-runner and joint lead manager for Manycore Tech's Hong Kong IPO.

During the company's critical push toward the capital market, CCB Zhejiang Branch learned of its financing needs and promptly coordinated with CCB International. The entire credit application process was completed in just 10 working days, facilitating Manycore Tech's smooth listing in Hong Kong. The bank also provided the company with comprehensive financial services, including wealth management and exclusive unsecured loans for its employees.

Given the rapid pace of technological change and evolving market demand in the humanoid robotics industry, banks face increasing requirements for professionalism and foresight. In recent years, banks have continuously adjusted their financial support strategies and optimized their service models.

Wu Zewei, a contract research fellow at Jiangsu Su Merchants Bank, said future competition in technology finance will center on the depth of industry understanding and the ability to provide integrated services. Banks will compete on their capacity to deliver comprehensive financial solutions covering the entire corporate lifecycle, including equity financing arrangements, mergers and acquisitions advisory services, and supply-chain coordination.

As technologies mature, financial institutions are also actively exploring innovative applications of AI in financial services. Intelligent humanoid robots are gradually moving from laboratories into bank branches and becoming valuable tools for business innovation.

In recent years, the ICBC Software Development Center and ICBC's branch in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, have collaborated with leading robotics teams to develop a humanoid robot assistant for bank lobby managers. Equipped with multimodal interaction, autonomous mobility and intelligent recognition capabilities, the robot can accurately perform tasks such as customer guidance, business consultations and document-filling assistance, improving branch efficiency and customer experience.

In July 2024, CCB partnered with Beijing Runze Zhiyuan Technology Co, a company specializing in the fintech sector, and Fourier, a Shanghai-based proactive AI robotics company, to launch China's first intelligent humanoid robot training base for bank lobby manager scenarios at its branch in Shanghai's Pudong New Area. The initiative uses real-world banking scenarios to drive technological development and accelerate the practical adoption of humanoid robots in the financial sector.

Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said humanoid robots will increasingly take on customer service responsibilities in bank branches, such as self-service account opening, transaction inquiries and customer consultation. Their efficiency and accuracy will enhance the customer experience. Banks will also leverage robots' powerful data-processing capabilities to develop personalized wealth management consultations and intelligent investment advisory solutions, offering customers a broader range of financial services.

Insurance companies are also playing an active role in supporting cutting-edge technology development. Humanoid robots typically achieve maturity through repeated testing, and insurance can provide risk buffers for intensive, high-frequency testing, encouraging companies to pursue more ambitious technological validation. In commercial operations, humanoid robots face multiple risks, including equipment failure, accidental damage and potential bodily injury or property damage to third parties. Insurance can provide essential protection against these risks.

Since the second half of 2025, China's leading property and casualty insurers have accelerated their expansion into the humanoid robotics insurance market. At present, customized insurance products for humanoid robots mainly focus on equipment damage coverage and third-party liability insurance.

Last year, Ping An Property & Casualty Insurance Company of China launched a comprehensive financial solution for embodied intelligence in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. The package includes customized coverage for R&D cost losses, product liability, AI system liability and electrochemical performance degradation, among other risks related to R&D, operations, electrical systems, machinery and cybersecurity.

However, due to the lack of risk data on humanoid robots, rapid technological advancements, and the complex and constantly evolving risk profile, insurers still face significant challenges in fully understanding the risks associated with this business. Analysts said that, under the premise of ensuring data security and privacy protection, efforts should be made to strengthen data sharing and the joint development of standards among the technology industry, research institutions and the insurance sector.

jiangxueqing@chinadaily.com.cn