According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), on average, approximately 22,400 businesses entered or re-entered the market each month during the period.

In May alone, over 15,100 new enterprises were set up, with total registered capital amounting to VND 156.7 trillion (approximately USD 6.02 billion) and employing 98,100 workers. Although the number of new firms fell slightly by 0.6 per cent and employment declined by 23.1 per cent compared to April, registered capital rose significantly by 17.3 per cent.

Compared to May 2024, the number of new businesses increased by 6.1 per cent, while registered capital and employment rose by 16.6 per cent and 29.3 per cent respectively. The average registered capital per enterprise reached VND 10.4 billion, up 18 per cent month-on-month and 9.9 per cent year-on-year.

Meanwhile, more than 8,000 businesses resumed operations in May, representing an 11.1 per cent decrease from April but an 18.8 per cent increase compared to the same month last year.

Between January and May, nearly 66,800 new enterprises were licensed, a 0.6 per cent rise year-on-year. These firms registered a total capital of VND 647.1 trillion (approximately USD 24.85 billion) and hired around 453,900 workers, up 6.2 per cent.

Notably, additional capital injected into the economy by existing businesses reached nearly VND 2.28 quadrillion (approximately USD 87.5 billion), an 83.8 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, signalling strong reinvestment and business expansion.

The number of businesses resuming operations also rose sharply, totalling more than 45,000 in the first five months, up 32.2 per cent year-on-year.

By sector, services continued to lead with nearly 50,900 new enterprises, up 2 per cent. The industry and construction sector saw over 15,200 new firms, down 3.9 per cent, while the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector recorded 627 new entries, a 1.7 per cent decline.

Despite the overall positive trend, business closures also increased. From January to May, nearly 74,600 businesses temporarily suspended operations, up 12.8 per cent; over 27,500 were undergoing dissolution procedures, up 18.3 per cent; and nearly 9,600 completed dissolution, up 15.7 per cent year-on-year.

This means that, on average, more than 22,300 businesses exited the market each month, nearly equal to the number of new or reactivated enterprises. According to the NSO, this reflects a dynamic yet highly competitive and challenging business environment.