Checked Barometer May 2025
Edition of 26 September 2026 · KBO · Belgian Official Gazette
In May 2025, the Belgian Official Gazette published 902 bankruptcies, 2.4% more than in May 2024. In May 2025, 8,526 companies were incorporated, 8.8% more than in May 2024.
This edition was compiled on 26 September 2026, after its regular publication date (6 June 2025). The figures are that day's count and no longer change.
Bankruptcies
902
+2.4% year on year-3.2% month on month
10,287 over twelve months
Judicial reorganisations
46
-16% year on year-27% month on month
495 over twelve months
Judicial dissolutions
454
+19% year on year+41% month on month
3,976 over twelve months
In brief
Sentences taken straight from this edition's figures. Credit Checked.be as the source.
Incorporations
- In May 2025, 8,526 companies were incorporated, 8.8% more than in May 2024.
- Compared with April 2025 (14,435), that is 41% fewer.
- Over the twelve months from June 2024 to May 2025 there were 125,126, 9.3% more than the twelve months before.
Bankruptcies
- In May 2025, the Belgian Official Gazette published 902 bankruptcies, 2.4% more than in May 2024.
- Compared with April 2025 (932), that is 3.2% fewer.
- Over the twelve months from June 2024 to May 2025 there were 10,287, 4.6% more than the twelve months before.
- By area: 462 in Flanders, 187 in Wallonia and 253 in Brussels and Halle-Vilvoorde.
Judicial reorganisations
- In May 2025, the Belgian Official Gazette published 46 judicial reorganisations, 16% fewer than in May 2024.
- Compared with April 2025 (63), that is 27% fewer.
- Over the twelve months from June 2024 to May 2025 there were 495, as many as the twelve months before.
Judicial dissolutions
- In May 2025, the Belgian Official Gazette published 454 judicial dissolutions, 19% more than in May 2024.
- Compared with April 2025 (321), that is 41% more.
- Over the twelve months from June 2024 to May 2025 there were 3,976, 15% fewer than the twelve months before.
By region
May 2025, with the change on the same month a year earlier.
| Area | Incorporations | Bankruptcies | Judicial reorganisations | Judicial dissolutions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flanders | 4,366+5.7% | 462+2.9% | 17+31% | 217+262% |
| Wallonia | 1,876+7.4% | 187+5.1% | 15-42% | 64-52% |
| Brussels and Halle-Vilvoorde | 1,695+14% | 2530% | 14-13% | 173-8% |
| No known area | 589+26% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Belgium | 8,526+8.8% | 902+2.4% | 46-16% | 454+19% |
The Brussels courts also serve Halle-Vilvoorde, so that arrondissement counts with Brussels. Incorporations follow the registered office (for a sole trader, the first establishment).
Bankruptcies by sector
May 2025 against May 2024. Main activity according to the KBO (NACE 2025).
The sector is known for only 56% of the cases; too few to show a breakdown by sector.
Incorporations by sector
May 2025 against May 2024. Main activity according to the KBO (NACE 2025).
May 2025
May 2024
- Professional and technical services ≥ 1,247
- Construction ≥ 989
- Wholesale and retail trade ≥ 781
- Administrative and support services ≥ 627
- Other services ≥ 564
- Accommodation and food service ≥ 403
- Telecoms and IT ≥ 346
- Arts, sports and recreation ≥ 326
- Health and social work ≥ 287
- Transport and storage ≥ 271
Show all 22 sectors
- Education ≥ 247
- Manufacturing ≥ 246
- Real estate ≥ 180
- Finance and insurance ≥ 94
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing ≥ 93
- Publishing and media ≥ 87
- Households ≥ 38
- Energy ≥ 16
- Water and waste ≥ 5
- Mining and quarrying ≥ 1
- Public administration ≥ 1
- Extraterritorial organisations ≥ 1
The sector is known for 80% of the cases of May 2025 (1,676 without a sector). Hence no change per sector. This edition kept no count of active companies, so no figure per 10,000.
Notable sectors
The largest shifts against May 2024, from 10 cases and a difference of 5 cases.
For bankruptcies, the sectors of this month and of May 2024 are not equally well known (56% and 36%); a comparison per sector would measure our coverage, not the economy.
For incorporations, the sectors of this month and of May 2024 are not equally well known (80% and 80%); a comparison per sector would measure our coverage, not the economy.
Cite these figures
This page no longer changes: the link keeps pointing at the same figures.
Checked.be, Checked Barometer May 2025 (edition of 26 September 2026), https://checked.be/en/barometer/2025-05
How these figures are counted
- An edition appears on day 6 of the next month, so the last days of the month are processed, and is then frozen: the figures on this page no longer change. If data for the month arrives later, it is listed above under Revisions.
- Incorporations: companies per month of their start date in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises, sole traders included.
- Bankruptcies, judicial reorganisations (opening) and judicial dissolutions: by month of publication in the Belgian Official Gazette, not of the judgment.
- Sectors: the main activity (NACE 2025) the KBO gave the company. Where the sector of part of the cases is unknown, the figure carries "≥" and we compare per sector only when both months are equally well known.
- Per 10,000 active companies: the month's figure against the sector's active companies on the day the edition was frozen.