Increase in filings for bankruptcy in the first quarter of 2025

CRIF AG has analysed how many new businesses were set up in the first quarter of 2025, how many companies filed for bankruptcy and how many businesses were completely deleted from the register.

Filings for bankruptcy
Across the whole of Switzerland, the level of bankruptcies rose by 8.4% from January to March. The highest percentage increases were recorded by the Cantons of Geneva, Schwyz and Schaffhausen. There was a fall in the number of bankruptcies in the Cantons of Basel Landschaft, Lucerne, Basel Stadt, Bern and Ticino.

The highest number of bankruptcies was reported by the construction industry (369), followed by the food and drink sector (256) and the retail trade (198). In percentage terms, there was a sharp increase in filings for bankruptcy in the motor vehicle trade (+28.6%), architecture firms (+19.3%) and building management companies (gardening + landscaping) (+18.6%).

Company start-ups continue to increase
13,983 businesses were set up in Switzerland in the first three months. This represents an increase of 3.9% compared with the previous year. Over the same period, 8,340 companies were deleted from the commercial register, which represents an increase of 0.2% in deletions compared with the previous year. Most of the new entries were in the Cantons of Zurich (2,543), Vaud (1,476) and Geneva (1,118). Of the three top runners, the Canton of Geneva reported the highest growth, at 19.2%.

Even though the retail trade reported the highest number of new start-ups, at 1,150, this was almost 11% fewer than in the 1^st quarter of 2024. This sector was followed by the management consultancy sector (1,146), the construction industry (1,024) and the real estate sector (956), which reported the highest percentage increase in the number of new businesses, at 25.3%.

About the survey
This survey took into account all those businesses that were entered into the commercial register for the first time between 1^st January 2025 and 31^th March 2025, together with those companies that filed for bankruptcy and all those businesses that were deleted from the commercial register during this time. For example, a company might be deleted automatically if it is dissolved; if bankruptcy proceedings are instigated; at the end of the liquidity deadline; if it is subject to mergers; or if a company is closed as a result of a lack of any plans for succession.

Filings for bankruptcy by sector, January to March