Pony.ai officially listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on November 6, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of Pony.ai

Two leading Chinese autonomous-driving technology firms, Pony.ai and WeRide, officially listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) on Thursday. The listings signify that both companies have established dual-primary listings in the US and Hong Kong markets, the Global Times learned.

This move highlights the growing confidence of investors in Chinese technology and underscores China's commitment to becoming a key player in the development and commercialization of intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) technology, said a Chinese expert.

Pony.ai and WeRide, both of which went public in the US in 2024, are among the first batch of companies to be listed under the robotaxi sector on the HKEX. Their listings are expected to bolster their capital strategies and expand their access to a broader range of resources on the global stage, Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

According to a National Business Daily report on Thursday, both companies will allocate about 40 percent of the funds raised in Hong Kong market to accelerate the commercialization of Level-4 autonomous driving technology.

According to WeRide's financial disclosures, the company generated $6.68 million from its robotaxi and related services in 2024, accounting for 13.2 percent of its total revenues. These services generated $8.66 million in the first half of 2025, representing 31 percent of its total income.

In its Hong Kong IPO, Pony.ai said it has fully exercised the offer size adjustment option, issuing approximately 48.25 million shares, according to a statement the company shared with the Global Times on Thursday. Pony.ai's founder and CEO Peng Jun said at the listing ceremony that this IPO signifies the start of a new chapter for the autonomous driving industry and positions the company at the forefront of large-scale commercialization.

Pony.ai, founded in 2016 is the only company with fully driverless Level 4 commercial robotaxi service permits in all four of China's tier-one cities -- Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. To date, it has accumulated more than 55 million kilometers of autonomous driving mileage across diverse geographies, said the company.

WeRide, established in 2017, manages a global fleet of more than 1,400 Level-4 autonomous vehicles, including more than 700 robotaxis, with operations spanning China, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, according to media reports.

ICV, as the pivotal platform integrating vehicle technology with artificial intelligence, cloud computing and big data, has become the strategic compass guiding the global auto industry's transformation.

China's advancements in ICV technology, supported by a robust industrial ecosystem and government policies, are steering the transformation of the global automotive industry, said Wang, adding that the HKEX listings of Pony.ai and WeRide are a clear indication of the momentum and strategic importance of the ICV sector in China's growth.

China has established a full industrial chain for key ICV technologies, covering smart cockpits, autonomous driving, and cloud-based connectivity and control, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The country has seen rapid growth in its ICV industry. From January to July 2025, Chinese carmakers sold 7.76 million new passenger cars equipped with Level-2 driving assistance functions, achieving a penetration rate of 62.58 percent. More than 3 million vehicles were fitted with 5G and C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) technology, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

A latest Goldman Sachs report indicated that China's robotaxi market size is expected to grow from $54 million in 2025 to $12 billion in 2030 and $47 billion in 2035.


Global Times