Insolvenzen: Zahl der Firmenpleiten steigt weiter

Frankfurt. The number of corporate bankruptcies in Germany rose again in August 2026, according to the Federal Statistical Office. The local courts registered 2,067 requested proceedings, a 4.4 percent increase compared to August 2025. DIHK Mittelstand expert Marc Evers explained that the number of bankruptcies reached the highest level in 13 years in August.

The current slight upward economic movement cannot halt this trend. The German Industry and Commerce Chamber (DIHK) sees no relaxation in business closures for the rest of the year. For the entire year of 2026, they forecast around 26,000 corporate bankruptcies, with an average of more than 70 per day, the highest annual figure since 2012.

The persistently high cost pressure leaves many companies little room for investment and growth. "The economic policy now has the power to create the prerequisites for a substantive rebound," said the DIHK expert. Companies needed tangible relief from labor and energy costs, less bureaucracy, and reliable investment frameworks. "Only when businesses can invest and grow on their own will the bankruptcy wave come to an end."

From January to August, 17,252 corporate bankruptcies were counted, 6.6 percent more than the previous year. But the issue now revolves around smaller amounts, as the claims of creditors fell from 37.2 million euros in the previous year to 25.9 billion euros. On average, smaller companies were affected. The majority of cases involved the transportation and warehousing sector, with 97.6 cases per 10,000 companies, followed by the hospitality industry and construction.

The applications are only counted after the first decision of the bankruptcy court, often with a delay of about three months. The Leibniz Institute for Economic Research Halle expects fewer cases for November and December based on the applications already received. Meanwhile, the number of business startups in Germany has risen.

In the first nine months, 103,700 firms established a legal form and employment level, a 4.5 percent increase compared to the previous year and significantly higher than the 72,500 complete business operations in this category. Including smaller businesses, 525,100 industries were founded in the first three quarters, a 7.7 percent increase compared to the previous year.