Sharp rise in regular insolvencies in July 2025

In Germany, the number of regular insolvencies applied for rose significantly in July 2025. According to preliminary figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the increase was 19.2% compared to July 2024. This is the highest increase since October 2024, when a rise of 22.9% was recorded.

The authority points out that insolvency applications are only included in the statistics after the first decision by the insolvency court. In many cases, the actual application is filed around three months earlier.

Corporate insolvencies in May 2025

Final results are available for May 2025. According to these, the local courts reported 2,036 corporate insolvencies. This corresponds to an increase of 5.3 % compared to May 2024.

Creditor claims from these proceedings amounted to around 3.2 billion euros. In the same month last year, the figure was around 3.4 billion euros.

Affected sectors

In May 2025, there were a total of 5.9 corporate insolvencies per 10,000 companies in Germany. The transportation and warehousing sector was the hardest hit with 10.9 cases per 10,000 companies. The construction industry followed in second place with 9.4 cases, closely followed by the hospitality industry with 9.0 insolvencies per 10,000 companies.

These sectors are traditionally particularly susceptible to economic fluctuations and rising operating costs.

Consumer insolvencies also affected

The number of consumer insolvencies has also increased. In May 2025, 6,605 proceedings were counted. This is 16.1% more than in May of the previous year. Consumer insolvencies affect private individuals who can no longer service their debts. The number can be an indicator of the financial burden on households.

The significant increase in insolvencies shows that economic challenges exist in several sectors. It is important for founders to monitor this development, especially in the sectors most affected. Rising costs, changing demand and difficult access to capital can increase the pressure on companies. At the same time, market opportunities can also arise in times of crisis, for example through takeovers or the development of new customer segments.