Workers on a production line at a Baidai Company facility in Phú Thọ Province. Average registered capital per new enterprise in the first half of this year reached VNĐ12.1 billion, up 34.5 per cent over the same period last year. — VNA/VNS Photo Trần Việt

HÀ NỘI — The number of newly established enterprises in Việt Nam rose sharply in the first half of 2026, reflecting improved business confidence, official data shows.

Updates from the National Statistics Office (NSO) released on Friday show that nearly 111,700 new businesses were registered nationwide from January to June, up 22.5 per cent year-on-year.

Total registered capital reached more than VNĐ1.3 quadrillion, representing a rise of 64.8 per cent, but registered workers fell 12.8 per cent to around 515,300.

In June alone, more than 16,800 enterprises were newly established, with total registered capital of over VNĐ286.3 trillion, down 1.1 per cent in the number of new firms but up 1.9 per cent in capital.

Compared to a year ago, June saw a 31 per cent drop in new business formation, while registered capital jumped 62 per cent.

Average registered capital per new enterprise in the first half of this year reached VNĐ12.1 billion, up 34.5 per cent over the same period last year.

More than 58,100 firms resumed operations during this period, bringing the total number of new and returning enterprises to nearly 169,800, up 11.2 per cent year-on-year and averaging about 28,300 per month.

By sector, industry and construction recorded more than 27,400 new firms, up 37.2 per cent. Agriculture, forestry and fisheries saw the fastest growth at 41.6 per cent, though from a smaller base of 1,151 firms, while services accounted for over 83,100 firms, up 18.1 per cent.

Despite the positive momentum in market entry, business exits remained high, with more than 85,900 firms temporarily suspending operations in the first half, up 6.3 per cent. Meanwhile Nearly 41,200 companies were awaiting dissolution, up 21 per cent, and around 24,000 completed dissolution, up 94.7 per cent.

On average, around 25,200 enterprises withdrew from the market every month during the first half of the year.

The data suggests a mixed picture for the business environment, with robust capital inflows and increasing firm formation accompanied by persistent pressures on operations and a high number of closures.

The NSO’s survey of manufacturing and processing firms showed 36.3 per cent of enterprises assessed business conditions in the second quarter as improving compared with the first quarter, while 39.4 per cent expected better conditions in the third quarter. — VNS