Checked Barometer May 2026
Edition of 26 September 2026 · KBO · Belgian Official Gazette
In May 2026, the Belgian Official Gazette published 958 bankruptcies, 6.2% more than in May 2025. In May 2026, 9,455 companies were incorporated, 11% more than in May 2025.
This edition was compiled on 26 September 2026, after its regular publication date (6 June 2026). The figures are that day's count and no longer change.
Bankruptcies
958
+6.2% year on year-12% month on month
11,158 over twelve months
Judicial reorganisations
57
+24% year on year-15% month on month
583 over twelve months
Judicial dissolutions
337
-26% year on year+51% month on month
3,119 over twelve months
In brief
Sentences taken straight from this edition's figures. Credit Checked.be as the source.
Incorporations
- In May 2026, 9,455 companies were incorporated, 11% more than in May 2025.
- Compared with April 2026 (17,428), that is 46% fewer.
- Over the twelve months from June 2025 to May 2026 there were 148,518, 19% more than the twelve months before.
Bankruptcies
- In May 2026, the Belgian Official Gazette published 958 bankruptcies, 6.2% more than in May 2025.
- Compared with April 2026 (1,094), that is 12% fewer.
- Over the twelve months from June 2025 to May 2026 there were 11,158, 8.5% more than the twelve months before.
- By area: 508 in Flanders, 190 in Wallonia and 260 in Brussels and Halle-Vilvoorde.
Judicial reorganisations
- In May 2026, the Belgian Official Gazette published 57 judicial reorganisations, 24% more than in May 2025.
- Compared with April 2026 (67), that is 15% fewer.
- Over the twelve months from June 2025 to May 2026 there were 583, 18% more than the twelve months before.
Judicial dissolutions
- In May 2026, the Belgian Official Gazette published 337 judicial dissolutions, 26% fewer than in May 2025.
- Compared with April 2026 (223), that is 51% more.
- Over the twelve months from June 2025 to May 2026 there were 3,119, 22% fewer than the twelve months before.
By region
May 2026, with the change on the same month a year earlier.
| Area | Incorporations | Bankruptcies | Judicial reorganisations | Judicial dissolutions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flanders | 4,618+5.8% | 508+10% | 13-24% | 82-62% |
| Wallonia | 2,554+36% | 190+1.6% | 26+73% | 34-47% |
| Brussels and Halle-Vilvoorde | 1,858+9.6% | 260+2.8% | 18+29% | 221+28% |
| No known area | 425-28% | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Belgium | 9,455+11% | 958+6.2% | 57+24% | 337-26% |
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 2026 against May 2025. Main activity according to the KBO (NACE 2025).
May 2026
May 2025
- Construction ≥ 167
- Accommodation and food service ≥ 119
- Wholesale and retail trade ≥ 115
- Transport and storage ≥ 60
- Administrative and support services ≥ 45
- Professional and technical services ≥ 43
- Other services ≥ 40
- Manufacturing ≥ 38
- Real estate ≥ 19
- Telecoms and IT ≥ 17
Show all 19 sectors
- Health and social work ≥ 11
- Finance and insurance ≥ 10
- Arts, sports and recreation ≥ 10
- Publishing and media ≥ 6
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing ≥ 5
- Water and waste ≥ 3
- Public administration ≥ 1
- Education ≥ 1
- Households ≥ 1
The sector is known for 74% of the cases of May 2026 (247 without a sector). Hence no change per sector. This edition kept no count of active companies, so no figure per 10,000.
Incorporations by sector
May 2026 against May 2025. Main activity according to the KBO (NACE 2025).
May 2026
May 2025
- Professional and technical services ≥ 1,340
- Construction ≥ 951
- Wholesale and retail trade ≥ 950
- Administrative and support services ≥ 703
- Other services ≥ 652
- Telecoms and IT ≥ 473
- Accommodation and food service ≥ 452
- Transport and storage ≥ 356
- Arts, sports and recreation ≥ 315
- Manufacturing ≥ 281
Show all 22 sectors
- Health and social work ≥ 280
- Education ≥ 240
- Real estate ≥ 198
- Publishing and media ≥ 112
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing ≥ 84
- Finance and insurance ≥ 74
- Households ≥ 51
- Energy ≥ 19
- Water and waste ≥ 14
- Mining and quarrying ≥ 2
- Public administration ≥ 0
- Extraterritorial organisations ≥ 0
The sector is known for 80% of the cases of May 2026 (1,908 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 2025, from 10 cases and a difference of 5 cases.
For bankruptcies, the sectors of this month and of May 2025 are not equally well known (74% and 56%); a comparison per sector would measure our coverage, not the economy.
For incorporations, the sectors of this month and of May 2025 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 2026 (edition of 26 September 2026), https://checked.be/en/barometer/2026-05
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.