In the first quarter of 2026, Ukraine recorded a significant increase in the number of individual entrepreneurs. The net increase amounted to over 11,000 individual entrepreneurs, demonstrating the resilience and active development of microbusinesses even in conditions of martial law.
This is reported by Finway
Which sectors are chosen by new entrepreneurs
According to statistics from the Unified State Register, from January to March 2026, 63,920 new entrepreneurs were registered. During the same period, 52,623 individual entrepreneurs ceased their activities, resulting in a net increase of 11,297 individuals. The majority of new entrepreneurs chose the online trading sector, particularly sales through social networks, internet platforms, and messengers.
Among the sectors showing the fastest growth, the leaders are:
- Online trading: +2,527 individual entrepreneurs
- Education: +1,899 individual entrepreneurs
- Consulting: +1,230 individual entrepreneurs
- Other information services: +1,033 individual entrepreneurs
- Real estate rental: +862 individual entrepreneurs
At the same time, traditional offline business formats continue to lose ground. The largest decline was recorded in retail trade at markets and from stalls (down by 2,531 businesses), as well as in non-specialized stores (down by 1,062). The number of entrepreneurs also decreased in the segments of household repairs (down by 291), freight transportation (down by 126), and broadcasting (down by 125).
Regions with the highest business activity
The most new individual entrepreneurs were registered in Kyiv, as well as in central and western regions where the situation is relatively safe. Among the leaders in net increase of entrepreneurs are Kyiv (+1,826), Lviv region (+1,651), Dnipropetrovsk region (+1,450), Kyiv region (+1,159), and Odesa region (+775).
At the same time, the most significant reduction in the number of individual entrepreneurs is observed in frontline and partially occupied regions: in Donetsk (down by 479), Kherson (down by 224), Sumy (down by 204), Zaporizhia region (down by 97), and Luhansk (down by 56).
“The net increase amounted to over 11,000 individual entrepreneurs, which indicates the resilience and development of Ukrainian microbusiness during the war.”
It is worth noting that the government of Ukraine has reached an agreement with the International Monetary Fund regarding the deferral of VAT payments for individual entrepreneurs and is also working on finding alternative sources for budget replenishment in 2027.