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Churn Rate at 124%, But a Meaningful Recovery from December’s 137% Low

The Big Picture: More Businesses Are Leaving Than Arriving

Romania opened 2026 with a business landscape under measurable strain. In January, the country recorded 11,075 new registrations against 13,761 total business exits , producing a net loss of 2,686 active entities — meaning the registered business stock shrank for the month.

The resulting churn rate of 124.25% — meaning exits ran at 124 for every 100 new registrations — signals a market that is consolidating rather than expanding. The health ratio, which measures registrations against exits, stood at 0.80 , well below the 1.0 threshold that would indicate a balanced ecosystem.

January 2026 saw Romania record its highest January registration count in recent years, driven by an extraordinary leap in sole trader filings. Yet beneath the headline growth, a rising tide of business exits signals a more complex picture for the national business ecosystem.

A Robust Start to the Year

Romania registered 11,075 new businesses in January 2026 , a 27.7% increase compared to the 8,675 registrations recorded in January 2025. While a modest month-over-month dip of 4.8% from December 2025’s 11,632 registrations is notable, such a seasonal pullback is entirely typical for January — the post-holiday period routinely sees administrative activity slow before picking up pace.

A Quarter of Two Speeds: Registrations Climb Year-on-Year While Lifecycle Pressures Build

The three-month window spanning November 2025 through January 2026 delivered a mixed but ultimately revealing picture of Romania’s business formation landscape. Compared to the same quarter a year earlier, new company registrations rose substantially across all three months — a consistent year-on-year improvement. Yet the same period also saw exits (suspensions, dissolutions, and deregistrations) accelerate sharply in the final weeks of the year and into January, creating a net negative balance for the business register in both December and January. The quarter’s story, in short, is one of genuine entrepreneurial vitality set against a rising tide of business closures.

Bucharest, February 2026 — Romania opened 2026 with a sharp acceleration in new business registrations, recording 11,075 new entities in January — a 27.7% increase compared to the 8,675 registrations logged in January 2025 . While the headline growth figure signals robust entrepreneurial momentum entering the new year, a parallel and equally significant rise in business closures and dissolutions adds an important layer of complexity to the overall picture.

Romania opened 2026 with a sharp uptick in new business registrations, but the headline figure masks an even more significant structural shift: the country’s entrepreneurs are increasingly choosing lighter, more agile legal forms over traditional limited liability companies.

A Strong Start — But Uneven Across Entity Types

Romania recorded 11,075 new business registrations in January 2026, a 27.67% increase compared to the 8,675 registered in January 2025. That is a substantial year-on-year jump of 2,400 entities .

Romania’s business landscape showed significant sectoral shifts in December 2025, with manufacturing leading an unprecedented 226% year-over-year growth while traditional sectors maintained steady performance and energy-related industries faced challenges.

The Romanian business registration data for December 2025 reveals a complex economic picture, with manufacturing experiencing explosive growth while the overall business ecosystem shows signs of consolidation. Total registrations reached 11,632 , representing a 45.87% increase from December 2024 . However, this growth occurred alongside significant business exits, resulting in a net negative growth of -4,292 companies for the month .

Quarterly Analysis: October-December 2025 Reveals Robust Entrepreneurial Activity with Notable Shifts in Business Structure

Romania’s business registration landscape concluded 2025 with a strong fourth quarter, demonstrating significant year-over-year growth despite expected seasonal patterns. The October-December period saw a total of 42,557 new business registrations, with December alone recording 11,632 registrations . This represents a notable 45.87% increase compared to December 2024, when only 7,974 businesses were registered .

December 2025 data reveals Bucharest-Ilfov maintains overwhelming lead in business registrations while provinces show mixed growth patterns

Romania’s business landscape in December 2025 continued to reflect significant regional disparities, with the Bucharest-Ilfov metropolitan area accounting for nearly 30% of all new company registrations while maintaining healthier business survival rates than many provincial counties, according to official registration data.

Capital Region’s Overwhelming Market Share

The Bucharest-Ilfov region recorded 3,487 new business registrations in December 2025 , representing 30% of Romania’s total 11,632 registrations for the month . Bucharest alone accounted for 2,683 registrations, while neighboring Ilfov county added 804 new businesses.

December 2025 Analysis: Business Exits Outpace New Registrations, Signaling Market Consolidation

Romania’s business landscape ended 2025 with concerning indicators as December data reveals a significant imbalance between new company formations and business exits. The month recorded a net loss of 4,292 businesses, marking a contraction in the overall business ecosystem.

The Churn Rate Challenge

December 2025 saw 11,632 new business registrations , a substantial 45.87% increase compared to December 2024 . However, this growth was overshadowed by 15,924 business exits , resulting in a concerning churn rate of 136.9% .

Bucharest, December 2025 - Romania’s business registration landscape underwent a significant transformation in December 2025, with entrepreneurs showing a clear preference for simpler, more flexible business structures over traditional corporate forms. The data reveals a dramatic year-over-year surge in registrations, particularly for individual enterprises and limited liability companies, signaling a fundamental shift in how Romanians approach entrepreneurship.

PFA Registrations More Than Double Year-Over-Year

The most striking trend in December 2025 was the explosive growth of PFA (Persoană Fizică Autorizată) registrations, which more than doubled compared to December 2024. Romania recorded 3,650 PFA registrations in December 2025, representing a staggering 108.93% increase from the 1,747 registrations in the same month last year .