In 11 months, 250 thousand individual entrepreneurs closed: the average lifespan of a business is 2 years

The state of individual entrepreneurs in Ukraine in 2025

According to ХВИЛЯ: During 11 months of 2025, over 250 thousand individual entrepreneurs (IEs) ceased operations in Ukraine. The average 'lifespan' of these entrepreneurs was 2 years and 4 months.

In January 2025, 59,723 IEs were closed. The highest number of closures was recorded in Kyiv, where every eighth IE closed, totaling 32,469 individuals. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, 22,645 IEs closed, in Kharkiv – 20,481, in Odesa – 18,714, and in Lviv – 16,521.

Industries with the greatest losses

Among the industries that suffered the most, retail trade ranks first with 77,705 closed entrepreneurs. In the IT sector, 28,668 IEs were closed. According to the data, courier IEs usually close within six months, office administrators within nine months, and educators take just over a year. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs engaged in warehousing exist for over 6 years.

The significant decrease in the number of individual entrepreneurs in Ukraine indicates the difficult economic conditions faced by small businesses. This may point to increasing financial pressure, changes in consumer behavior, or other factors negatively affecting the business environment. The loss of enterprises in key sectors such as retail trade and IT can have serious consequences for employment and the economic development of the country.