China's brain-computer interface (BCI) industry is entering a period of strong acceleration, shifting from research to large-scale commercialization.
Currently, many Chinese businesses are quietly expanding clinical trials and manufacturing equipment, with strong support from state policies and investment capital.
According to Phoenix Peng, co-founder of BCI NeuroXess Transplant Company and founder of Gestala (a neurotechnology startup), the Chinese market is converging many favorable conditions for breakthrough.
Some localities such as Sichuan, Hubei, and Zhejiang have begun to set medical service prices for BCI technology, paving the way for inclusion in the national insurance system.
This is expected to help technology reach patients faster than many other countries.
In August 2025, China announced the national roadmap for BCI development with the goal of achieving important technical advances by 2027 and building a complete supply chain by 2030.
According to Mr. Phoenix Peng, there are a number of key factors driving the rapid development of this field, including: strong support policies, abundant patient resources and clinical data, developed industrial production platforms and strong investment flows from both the state and private sectors.
In terms of technology, China has made many remarkable advances. Researchers in this country have just completed a trial of a completely wireless brain-computer interface (BCI), allowing paralyzed patients to control the device with only brain signals without external hardware support.
In the field of flexible BCI implantation, more than 50 clinical trials have been conducted by mid-2025, focusing on motor decoding, post-stroke recovery and nerve function regeneration.
Currently, BCI technology is developing in two main directions. The first is invasive implantation devices, such as Neuralink or NeuroXess, for high accuracy but potential surgical risks.
The second is non-invasive solutions such as BrainCo's EEG headphones, which are safer but have lower accuracy.
In addition, new methods such as ultrasound, transcranial magnetic stimulation... are opening up new approaches in reading and controlling brain activity.
A notable trend is that non-invasive technologies are considered to have higher commercial potential, because they are easily accepted by patients.
Startups like Gestala are aiming to treat chronic pain, stroke and depression with ultrasound waves, with initial test results showing a pain reduction of up to 50% after a course of treatment.
According to forecasts, the Chinese BCI market may reach more than 530 million USD by 2025 and increase to over 120 billion yuan by 2040.
In the next 3-5 years, this field is likely to still focus mainly on healthcare, before expanding to the goal of strengthening human capacity, which is a prospect that experts believe will create a huge market in the future.
