GUANGZHOU, June 26 (WNM/Xinhua) -- China stood out in the realm of unicorn companies, totaling 381 by January 1, 2026, as detailed in the Global Unicorn Index 2026 by Hurun Research Institute. The recently unveiled statistics in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, indicated a rise of 38 unicorns compared to the previous year.

Globally, unicorn enterprises reached a new milestone of 1,603, which represents an increase of 5.3% from last year, summing up to a valuation of approximately 54 trillion yuan (7.92 trillion U.S. dollars). The United States remains at the forefront with 806 unicorns, reflecting an increase of 48 from the year before and accounting for 50.3% of unicorns worldwide. China holds second place with a significant number of unicorns situated predominantly in semiconductor, AI, life sciences, and new energy sectors.

Rupert Hoogewerf, the guiding figure behind Hurun Report, noted that the global focus of unicorn companies has transitioned over the past eight years, moving from e-commerce initially, to fintech, and now to artificial intelligence. He also highlighted that the surge in AI unicorns has outpaced other sectors, bringing their combined valuation to triple that of fintech unicorns.

Highlighting China's prowess, Hoogewerf, recognized in China as Hu Run, pointed out that China outstrips other nations in fields like semiconductors, new energy, robotics, and the low-altitude economy.

The Global Unicorn Index 2026 casts a spotlight on start-ups established post-2000, assessed at over 1 billion U.S. dollars, and not yet publicly traded. Hurun Research Institute initiated unicorn monitoring in 2017, making this report the eighth iteration of the Global Unicorn Index.