Switzerland's bankruptcy wave hits established companies, not empty shells

Neuchâtel, 25 September 2026 – The record number of Swiss company bankruptcies is not a clean-out of letterbox companies. An analysis by ValIndex Research of every bankruptcy notice in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce since 2016 shows that seven in ten additional bankruptcies involve companies that are at least five years old.

• Doubling: 9,225 companies entered bankruptcy between 1 January and 24 September 2026, against 4,598 in the same period of 2024 (+40% on 2025).
• Established companies: 69% of the increase is companies at least five years old; companies under two years old account for 10%.
• Not empty shells: 47% of first-quarter 2026 bankruptcies were suspended for lack of assets, fewer than before the reform (52% on average in 2019–2022).
• Cantons: Geneva (+172%), Zug (+168%) and Valais (+146%) more than doubled; Solothurn rose 27%.

«The reform is reaching companies that carried unpaid taxes and social contributions for years. More than half of these bankruptcies are not suspended for lack of assets. For buyers, that means more businesses and assets sold through bankruptcy offices.»

Background

Since 1 January 2025, tax offices and social-insurance funds can pursue companies by way of bankruptcy for public-law claims (Federal Act on Combating Abusive Bankruptcy, AS 2023 628). The wave began in May 2025, five months after the law took effect.