A visitor (1st R) learns about a self-driving vehicle equipped with BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) during the 4th International Summit on BDS Applications in Zhuzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 24, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)

In 2025, the total output value of the BeiDou space-time industry reached 1.3323 trillion yuan ($186.5 billion). Among this, the satellite navigation industry, serving as the foundation of the BeiDou space-time sector, achieved a total output value of 629 billion yuan, marking a year-on-year growth of 9.24 percent, demonstrating strong resilience and significant growth potential, per the new edition of the annual white paper on China's BeiDou Space-time Industry Development released by the GNSS and LBS Association of China, or the GLAC, on Monday. 

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is a project built and operated by China as a component of the country's national security and economic and social development strategy. After many years in development, it has become an important new element of China's infrastructure, providing high-accuracy, round-the-clock positioning, navigation and timing services to global users in all weathers, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

Photo: GLAC

In the public consumer sector, as of the end of 2025, BeiDou continued to expand its presence in smartphones, wearable devices, passenger vehicle pre-installed systems, BeiDou short message services, electric two-wheelers, shared bicycles, and consumer drones, further increasing its application scale. Among these, 1.2 to 1.4 billion smartphones supported BeiDou positioning, accounting for approximately 98 percent of the total. Driven by demand for health management, fitness tracking, and smart connectivity, the number of wearable devices - such as smartwatches, wristbands, and chest cards - continued to grow, with over 160 million devices supporting BeiDou positioning, the white paper showed. 

The rapid development of domestic new-energy vehicles and advanced driver-assistance systems has promoted large-scale BeiDou adoption in passenger vehicles, with more than 100 million cars equipped with in-car devices featuring BeiDou navigation. Over 10 million users had access to BeiDou short message services, with over 30 million terminals connected. 

Following the implementation of the mandatory national standard Safety Technical Specifications for Electric Bicycles, more than 50 million electric bicycles were equipped with BeiDou positioning devices by 2025. Additionally, the total number of registered consumer drones reached over 2.03 million in 2025. Overall, by the end of 2025, the cumulative deployment of BeiDou terminal devices in the consumer sector had reached 1.5-1.7 billion units/sets across various submarkets, per the white paper.

In overseas markets, BeiDou services and related products have been deployed in more than 140 countries and regions. Through localized partnerships, Chinese enterprises have established over 20 overseas service centers along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), continuously improving the service network. By the end of China's 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), BeiDou applications and products had taken root in BRI partner countries and the global market, achieving a 58 percent market share in BRI partner countries, demonstrating strong enabling effects and competitive strength.

In the release, the association highlighted that Chinese products equipped with BeiDou technology have earned global recognition for their high performance and cost-effectiveness. China's BeiDou's international influence and voice continue to grow, contributing to the development of the global space-time services industry, the association hailed.

The 2026 edition of the white paper was released on Monday. And according to the GLAC, the white paper compiles a comprehensive overview of China's BeiDou space-time industry in 2025, including research and statistical data as well as major industry developments. It presents the current state of the industry from multiple dimensions - such as the industrial chain, technology, market, and regions - offers in-depth analysis of key trends and emerging issues, scientifically forecasts future developments, and provides targeted recommendations. 

Serving as an authoritative annual summary and forward-looking guide for China's BeiDou space-time industry, the white paper provides important reference for government decision-making, industry research, and corporate planning, the GLAC noted.