Rotterdam, 18 June 2025 โ In 2024, 4,119 companies went bankrupt in the Netherlands, an increase of 29.7% compared to a year earlier. This means the number of bankruptcies continues to rise, following an earlier increase of 52.6% in 2023. This is according to the new Global Bankruptcy Report 2025 by Altares Dun & Bradstreet.
Netherlands in world top
The report shows that the Netherlands ranks among the worldโs top countries for bankruptcies in 2024, with countries like Romania (35%) and Canada (35%) showing similar percentages. At the same time, itโs important to put these figures into perspective. The increase is linked to the natural dynamics of the business climate: the more companies are founded, the higher the probability of bankruptcies. Notably, the growth is now clearly leveling off. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the increase was 14.9%, whereas it was still over 70% in mid-2023. Moreover, the current number of bankruptcies is still far below the record year of 2013, when more than 9,400 companies went bankrupt.
โThe increase in bankruptcies can partly be attributed to the phasing out of temporary COVID support measures. At the same time, we see that with the return to a normal market dynamic, the number of bankruptcies is logically returning to pre-pandemic levels,โ says Barry de Goeij, Senior Data Scientist at Altares Dun & Bradstreet. โVarious sectors are currently under pressure, each for their own reasons. In construction, sharply rising material costs and complex COโ reduction regulations โ which slow down permit issuance โ are causing problems. In retail and wholesale, the fact that consumption growth โ which was still strong in 2021 according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS) โ has since leveled off due to inflation also plays a role. In 2024, preliminary figures do show a slight increase in spending again, but the pressure is expected to persist for now.โ
Retail and financial sector see sharp increases
The largest contribution to the increase came from companies in the construction sector, financial services, and wholesale and retail trade. In retail, the share of bankruptcies rose from 13% in 2022 to 19% in 2024. The financial sector also saw its share of bankruptcies nearly double: from 7% to 13%.
โThe construction sector is generally vulnerable, especially due to rising interest rates and delayed permit issuance. This leads to higher costs and fewer projects, which increases the likelihood of bankruptcies,โ says De Goeij.
In contrast to this increase, there were also sectors in the Netherlands that actually saw a decline. The real estate sector recorded fewer bankruptcies in 2024. Recovery in the housing market played a role in this: house prices rose by 8.8%, and the number of mortgages grew by 25.1% at the end of 2024 compared to a year earlier.
Geopolitical uncertainties weigh on optimism
For 2025, Altares Dun & Bradstreet expects the number of bankruptcies in the Netherlands to continue rising, but at a more moderate pace. Business sentiment has slightly improved compared to early 2024, partly due to expectations of further interest rate cuts by the ECB. However, there are concerns about the international context. New trade barriers, especially as a result of policies by the new U.S. administration, could have a disproportionate impact on the open Dutch economy.
โThe Dutch economy remains relatively resilient, partly due to strong exports to key trading partners such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States,โ says De Goeij. โGlobal uncertainties, such as the trade war between the US and China, could still have a negative impact on the Dutch economy.โ
