The average sole trader (FOP) in Ukraine works for 2.4 years

250,209 sole traders (FOPs) closed in Ukraine since the beginning of 2025. The peak of closures was in January. After a one-and-a-half-month pause in the work of state registers, 59,723 entrepreneurs were officially recorded as closed at once.

The average lifetime of a sole trader in Ukraine is 2 years and 4 months.

We track this trend on the page about the Ukrainian sole trader economy.

Every eighth entrepreneur who closed in 2025 worked in Kyiv — 32,469 FOPs. Second place is Dnipropetrovsk region, where 22,645 entrepreneurs closed their businesses. Slightly fewer closures were recorded in Kharkiv region (20,481), Odesa region (18,714), and Lviv region (16,521).

The most vulnerable sole traders last year were those working in retail trade. They account for one third of all closures — 77,705 FOPs. On average, such businesses exist for less than 3 years. Another 16,909 FOPs in wholesale trade closed their businesses in 2025. These entrepreneurs usually work for just a little over one year. Overall, the trade sector accounts for almost half of all closures.

With a large gap, the second place by number of closures belongs to IT specialists — 28,668 FOPs, or every ninth entrepreneur who closed last year. At the same time, IT specialists are among the longest-living entrepreneurs — their average business lifetime is 3 years and 11 months.

How long does the average FOP (sole trader) work in Ukraine? ​

Longest-living FOPs: those in warehouse management — work more than 6 years on average.

Real estate operations: 5 years 11 months. Repair businesses (especially household appliances): 5 years 9 months.

Shortest-living FOPs: Couriers — only 6 months on average. Administrative and office support services — 9 months. Wholesale trade and education — a little over 1 year.