Hanoi (VNA) – More than 94,800 enterprises were established nationwide in the first five months of 2026, with total registered capital of about 1.066 quadrillion VND (40.5 billion USD), according to the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

Compared with the same period of 2025, the number of newly established enterprises surged 42.1%, while registered capital jumped 64.8%.

In May alone, more than 17,000 new companies were set up, registering capital of over 280.9 trillion VND and nearly 75,900 workers. Compared with the same month last year, the number of new firms increased 12.5% and their capital rose sharply by 79.3% though registered workers declined 22.7%.

Average registered capital per newly established enterprise in May reached 16.5 billion VND, up 59.3% year-on-year.

Meanwhile, about 9,100 companies resumed operations last month, up 13.6% from May 2025.

In contrast, 6,746 enterprises suspended operations for a fixed period in May, up 13.9% year-on-year. As many as 8,082 ceased operations pending dissolution procedures and 3,831 completed dissolution procedures, respectively rising 23.7% and 100.7%.

For the January–May period, average registered capital per new company stood at 11.2 billion VND, up 16% from a year earlier.

Together with nearly 47,800 enterprises that resumed operations, more than 142,600 companies entered or re-entered the market during the period, marking a 27.6% increase from a year earlier. On average, 28,500 enterprises were established or resumed operations each month.

By sector, services accounted for the largest share of new enterprises, with nearly 70,600 firms, up 38.7% year-on-year. Industry and construction recorded nearly 23,300 new enterprises, up 52.7%, while agriculture, forestry and fisheries saw 978 new ones, climbing 56%.

Despite the strong increase in business formation, the office said, the market also witnessed a significant number of exits.

In the first five months of this year, 129,300 enterprises withdrew from the market, a year-on-year increase of 15.8%, equivalent to about 25,900 enterprises per month. Among them, 78,800 companies temporarily suspended operations, up 5.7%; more than 31,400 ceased operations pending dissolution procedures, up 14.2%; and more than 19,000 completed dissolution procedures, nearly doubling from the same period last year.

The sharpest increases in enterprise dissolutions were recorded in real estate, wholesale and retail, manufacturing, and construction.

To support business development, the MoF has called for removing bottlenecks related to institutions, access to land and resources, financing, and workforce training.

The ministry is also pushing for administrative reforms to reduce compliance costs and procedure processing time, while developing support policies for small and medium-sized enterprises and business households. Efforts will focus on encouraging business households to transform into enterprises and helping domestic firms develop into larger and internationally competitive companies.

A representative of the Department of Private Enterprise and Collective Economy Development said the ministry is prioritising improvements to the investment and business environment and providing support to help enterprises strengthen governance, taxation and accounting capacity./.