Overview
- Creditreform estimates about 12,900 company insolvencies in the first half of 2026, a rise of roughly 7.8 percent and the strongest H1 total since 2013.
- The services sector accounted for the largest share with about 7,900 cases while insolvencies of very young firms rose sharply by about 25.3 percent.
- Large-company bankruptcies climbed about 28.6 percent, putting roughly 165,000 jobs at risk and increasing pressure on suppliers, lenders and social insurers.
- Regional hotspots include North Rhine‑Westphalia with roughly 3,290 cases and Berlin with the highest insolvency rate per 10,000 firms, reflecting local industry mixes.
- Analysts say prolonged weak demand, higher financing and operating costs and an Iran-related energy-price shock have intensified stress and could push filings higher into late 2026 unless growth returns.