The Robotics Market is Becoming Too Large to Ignore
February 18, 2026
Read Time 3 MIN
Key Takeaways:
- Industrial robot installations remain near record levels and are projected to keep rising through 2028.
- Growth is broadening beyond automotive as collaborative robots expand across industries.
- Service and medical robots are accelerating adoption beyond the factory floor.
The robotics market is scaling into a meaningful force in the global economy. Industrial robot installations remain near record highs. The installed base continues to expand. Adoption is spreading beyond factory floors into logistics and healthcare.
The latest World Robotics 2025 report confirms that robotics industry growth remains steady and broad based. Economic cycles may create short term volatility. The long-term direction is clear. Automation continues to compound across industries and regions.
Robotic Installations Remain Near Record Levels
Industrial robot demand has stabilized at an elevated level.
In 2024, 542,000 industrial robots were installed globally, one of the strongest years on record. The global operational stock reached 4.66 million units, up 9 percent year over year.
Global Operational Stock of Industrial Robots
Source: International Federation of Robotics as of 2025.
IBOT | VanEck Robotics ETF
That installed base is critical. Once automation is integrated into production systems, it is rarely removed. It creates recurring demand for software, machine vision systems, semiconductors, and system upgrades.
Installations are projected to reach 708,000 units by 2028, implying roughly 7 percent annual growth. Growth is steady and supported by a growing foundation of deployed systems.
Global Annual Installations of Industrial Robots
Source: International Federation of Robotics as of 2025.
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Robotics Growth Is Broadening Beyond Automotive
Robotics is no longer dependent on automotive cycles.
While automotive remains important, general industries are gaining share. Electronics, metal and machinery, plastics, and food production are increasing automation investment.
Collaborative robots, often called cobots, are contributing to that shift. Cobots are designed to work safely alongside humans. Installations reached 64,542 units in 2024 and continue to grow at double digit rates. They reduce cost and complexity for small and mid-sized manufacturers.
The robotics market is becoming more diversified and less tied to a single sector.
Asia Leads in Robotics, but Adoption Is Global
Asia remains the largest robotics market. China accounted for 54 percent of global installations in 2024 and 43 percent of total operational stock.
Share in Annual Installations of Robots
Source: International Federation of Robotics as of 2025.
But this is not a single region story.
The United States recorded one of its highest installation levels on record. India continues to rise in global rankings. Across regions, companies are automating to address labor shortages, rising wages, and supply chain resilience.
Automation is increasingly viewed as a requirement for competitiveness rather than a discretionary upgrade.
Robotics Is Expanding Beyond the Factory Floor
The robotics ecosystem now extends into logistics, healthcare, and services.
In 2024:
- 199,000 professional service robots were deployed, up 9 percent.
- 16,700 medical robots were installed, up 91 percent.
- Consumer service robots exceeded 20 million units globally.
Medical robotics showed particularly strong gains in diagnostics and laboratory automation. This expansion increases the total addressable market and broadens the investment universe beyond traditional industrial automation.
A Practical Role for Robotics in Portfolios
The robotics market is becoming too large to ignore because the drivers are structural and the installed base is compounding.
Demographic shifts are tightening labor markets. Productivity pressure is pushing companies toward automation. Advances in physical AI, embedded machine learning, and semiconductor systems continue to improve performance and returns.
More than 4 million robots are already deployed globally. That scale creates durability. Automation is embedded in modern production systems, and once deployed, it tends to expand rather than contract.
For investors, robotics exposure should reflect the full value chain. Industrial automation systems, machine vision, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, embedded AI, and robotic surgical platforms all contribute to industry growth.
The VanEck Robotics ETF (IBOT) tracks the BlueStar Robotics Index, which emphasizes companies deriving meaningful revenue from robotics related activities across multiple subthemes. The structure is designed to capture growth across the broader automation ecosystem rather than concentrating in a single segment.
The Future of Robotics
World Robotics 2025 confirms that global robot installations remain near record levels and are projected to rise steadily through 2028.
Robotics is no longer emerging. It is embedded. Adoption is broadening. The installed base is compounding. The economic footprint continues to expand.
The robotics market is becoming too large to ignore because of scale, not hype.
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Important Disclosures
This is not an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities, financial instruments or digital assets mentioned herein. The information presented does not involve the rendering of personalized investment, financial, legal, tax advice, or any call to action. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements, which do not reflect actual results, are for illustrative purposes only, are valid as of the date of this communication, and are subject to change without notice. Actual future performance of any assets or industries mentioned are unknown. Information provided by third party sources are believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. VanEck does not guarantee the accuracy of third party data. The information herein represents the opinion of the speaker(s), but not necessarily those of VanEck or its other employees.
An investment in the Fund may be subject to risks which include, among others, risks related to investing in robotics companies, information technology sector, industrials sector, equity securities, medium-capitalization companies, special risk considerations of investing in Japanese and European issuers, foreign securities, semiconductor industry, depositary receipts, market, operational, index tracking, authorized participant concentration, no guarantee of active trading market, trading issues, passive management, fund shares trading, premium/discount and liquidity of fund shares, non-diversified and index-related concentration risks, all of which may adversely affect the Fund. Medium-capitalization companies may be subject to elevated risks.
BlueStar® Robotics Index is the exclusive property of MarketVector Indexes GmbH (a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Securities Corporation), which has contracted with Solactive AG to maintain and calculate the Index. Solactive AG uses its best efforts to ensure that the Index is calculated correctly. Irrespective of its obligations towards MarketVector Indexes GmbH, Solactive AG has no obligation to point out errors in the Index to third parties. The VanEck Robotics ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MarketVector Indexes GmbH and MarketVector Indexes GmbH makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the Fund.
An investor cannot invest directly in an index. Returns reflect past performance and do not guarantee future results. Results reflect the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, if any. Certain indices may take into account withholding taxes. Index returns do not represent Fund returns. The Index does not charge management fees or brokerage expenses, nor does the Index lend securities, and no revenues from securities lending were added to the performance shown.
Investing involves substantial risk and high volatility, including possible loss of principal. An investor should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of a Fund carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contain this and other information, call 800.826.2333 or visit vaneck.com. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.
© Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corporation.
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Important Disclosures
This is not an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation to buy or sell any of the securities, financial instruments or digital assets mentioned herein. The information presented does not involve the rendering of personalized investment, financial, legal, tax advice, or any call to action. Certain statements contained herein may constitute projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements, which do not reflect actual results, are for illustrative purposes only, are valid as of the date of this communication, and are subject to change without notice. Actual future performance of any assets or industries mentioned are unknown. Information provided by third party sources are believed to be reliable and have not been independently verified for accuracy or completeness and cannot be guaranteed. VanEck does not guarantee the accuracy of third party data. The information herein represents the opinion of the speaker(s), but not necessarily those of VanEck or its other employees.
An investment in the Fund may be subject to risks which include, among others, risks related to investing in robotics companies, information technology sector, industrials sector, equity securities, medium-capitalization companies, special risk considerations of investing in Japanese and European issuers, foreign securities, semiconductor industry, depositary receipts, market, operational, index tracking, authorized participant concentration, no guarantee of active trading market, trading issues, passive management, fund shares trading, premium/discount and liquidity of fund shares, non-diversified and index-related concentration risks, all of which may adversely affect the Fund. Medium-capitalization companies may be subject to elevated risks.
BlueStar® Robotics Index is the exclusive property of MarketVector Indexes GmbH (a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Securities Corporation), which has contracted with Solactive AG to maintain and calculate the Index. Solactive AG uses its best efforts to ensure that the Index is calculated correctly. Irrespective of its obligations towards MarketVector Indexes GmbH, Solactive AG has no obligation to point out errors in the Index to third parties. The VanEck Robotics ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MarketVector Indexes GmbH and MarketVector Indexes GmbH makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the Fund.
An investor cannot invest directly in an index. Returns reflect past performance and do not guarantee future results. Results reflect the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, if any. Certain indices may take into account withholding taxes. Index returns do not represent Fund returns. The Index does not charge management fees or brokerage expenses, nor does the Index lend securities, and no revenues from securities lending were added to the performance shown.
Investing involves substantial risk and high volatility, including possible loss of principal. An investor should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of a Fund carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus and summary prospectus, which contain this and other information, call 800.826.2333 or visit vaneck.com. Please read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.
© Van Eck Securities Corporation, Distributor, a wholly owned subsidiary of Van Eck Associates Corporation.