In December, adjusted for court days, 265 companies were declared bankrupt, reports CBS. That is 60 fewer bankruptcies than in December a year earlier, a decrease of 18 percent. Compared to November, the number of bankruptcies decreased by 14 percent. With the December figure, the figure for the entire year is also known. According to preliminary figures, 3,636 companies were declared bankrupt in 2025. That is 15 percent less than in 2024.
The focus of the bankruptcy news report is, besides the development compared to a year earlier, also on the bankruptcy rate. This is the number of declared bankruptcies per 100 thousand companies. The bankruptcy rate provides a clearer picture of the development of the number of bankruptcies in the Netherlands. Branches can also be better compared with each other. The number of companies can fluctuate over time and differ greatly between sectors.
Companies and institutions
Bankruptcy rate lower again than a year earlier
The bankruptcy rate was 7.1 in December. A year earlier, 8.9 companies per 100 thousand were declared bankrupt. For the whole of 2025, the bankruptcy rate averaged 8.2. In 2024, it was 9.8.
Since the start of the series in 2015, the bankruptcy rate peaked in March 2015 at 24.8. Then a decline started and in August 2021 a record low of 3.4 was reached. Subsequently, the number of bankruptcies per 100 thousand companies rose again until 2024. Then the bankruptcy rate stabilized until autumn 2024. Since then, the trend has been slightly downward.
Highest bankruptcy rate in hospitality
Not adjusted for court days, in December 2025 the most bankruptcies were declared in hospitality. Per 100 thousand companies in hospitality, 29.5 went bankrupt, a year earlier that was 27.5.
December 2024
3,636 companies declared bankrupt in 2025
In 2025, not adjusted for court days, 3,636 companies and institutions, including sole proprietorships, were declared bankrupt. That is 15 percent less than in 2024. At that time, the number of bankruptcies was 4,270. The peak in the number of bankruptcies, 9,431, was reached during the euro crisis in 2013. The lowest number since the start of the statistics in 1981 was recorded in 2021, namely 1,818.
Strongest decline in bankruptcies in specialist services and construction
As in previous years, trade had the most bankruptcies in 2025, with 706. Then followed construction with 488 and specialist services with 378 bankruptcies. These sectors are also the largest in terms of number of companies. In most sectors, fewer companies went bankrupt than in 2024.
In absolute terms, the decline in the number of bankruptcies was strongest in specialist services. In 2025, 131 fewer companies and institutions went bankrupt here than in 2024. Especially in management consulting, advertising, and market research agencies, the number of bankruptcies was lower than a year earlier. With a decline of 130 bankruptcies, construction followed as second. The decrease is mainly due to general and specialized construction (including construction installation and finishing companies).
2024
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