Over 6,000 Swiss companies go bankrupt but start-ups see growth

Significantly more company bankruptcies in Switzerland Keystone-SDA

Switzerland recorded a spike in bankruptcies last year, but there was also a rise in new start-ups. Trends varied significantly by region and sector.

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According to the business information service Dun & Bradstreet, 6,047 companies went bankrupt in Switzerland last year, marking a 19% increase from the previous year.

Bankruptcies surged the most in southern Switzerland, rising by 27%, followed by Central Switzerland with a 23% rise. Zurich saw an 18% increase, while Northwestern Switzerland saw a 17% increase in bankruptcies. Eastern Switzerland and canton Ticino each recorded a 15% rise. The smallest increase was in the Espace Mittelland region, at 12%.

Swiss craft and hospitality sectors hit hardest

There were notable differences across sectors. Insolvencies surged by 72% in mechanical engineering and by 70% in education services, though the absolute numbers in both sectors remained relatively low.

The skilled trades recorded 1,210 cases, up 37%, while the hospitality industry had 770 cases, a 26% rise. The retail trade also recorded 412 cases, increasing by 26%. In contrast, insolvencies fell by 7% in the wholesale trade, by 13% in the manufacture of durable goods and in the construction industry.

More new registrations

On the other hand, new entries in the commercial register rose. In 2024, there were 52,973 new registrations, nearly 3% more than the previous year. The biggest rise was in Southern Switzerland, up 6%, followed by the Espace Mittelland region at 4% and canton Ticino at 3%.

In Zurich and Eastern Switzerland, the increase was minimal, at just 1% each. Only north-eastern Switzerland saw a decline, dropping by 1%.

Fewer entries among architects and in wholesale

There were also notable differences in new start-ups by sector. The automotive industry saw an 18% increase, while land transportation and logistics, associations, education and manufacturing each grew by 14%.

Next were real estate agents and managers, with a 13% increase, and business service providers, up 10%. In contrast, architects saw a 10% decline, and the wholesale trade dropped by 27%.

Translated from German with DeepL/sp

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