XIAMEN, China, May 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent years, the global athletic footwear market has maintained steady sales volume growth. This expansion is driven by the escalating consumer demand for superior comfort, advanced functionality, and everyday versatility, coupled with technological breakthroughs in midsole materials and manufacturing processes toward high performance, lightweight structures, and sustainability. Concretely, global athletic footwear sales volume has expanded from 4.57 billion pairs in 2021 to 5.30 billion pairs in 2025. In the Chinese market*, the growing popularity of marathons and road running events among the general public has further catalyzed the expansion of the professional racing shoes and related running gear segments. Against this backdrop, Xtep has distinguished itself with market leadership that has been independently validated.
Based on independent market research conducted by Frost & Sullivan on the global and Chinese running shoes and sportswear industries, Xtep has been awarded three prestigious market leadership recognitions: " Leading Position in global running shoes market based on sales volume in 2025."; " Ranked No.1 in China by Marathon Running Shoes Wearing Rate for 3 consecutive years（2023-2025）"; and " Ranked Top 3 among Chinese Sportswear brands. (Measured by Sales value of 2025)." From the scale of event sponsorships and depth of runner services to on-track product performance, Xtep's comprehensive cultivation in the running domain has received definitive validation from international authoritative research institutions and the global market. To understand how Xtep achieved these milestones, it is essential to first examine the broader running shoe industry—its product categories, evolution, and current market drivers.
Running Shoe Market: An Overview
