Honcho Company Registration Index
Q1 2026 — Quarterly Report
Company registrations surge with 17.6% YoY growth in Q1 2026.
Q1 2026 saw 90,459 new company registrations, reflecting a robust 17.6% increase from Q1 2025. Rising business optimism coupled with stable economic conditions may influence forthcoming registration trends.
The Honcho Company Registration Index is published quarterly to give founders, accountants, advisers, and investors a single authoritative read on the health of Australia's company formation market. Honcho operates Australia's leading company registration platform with over 900,000 registered businesses.
Q1 2026 Total Company Registration
90,459
+17.6% vs prior yearJanuary Company Registration
24,653
+20.4%February Company Registration
31,325
+16.1%March Company Registration
34,481
+17%Honcho Outlook
Research team · April 28, 2026Q2 2026 company registration range
92,000–97,000
Projected based on sustained momentum and partial seasonal uplift.
Full-year FY26 projection
~370k
Expecting steady growth amidst stable macroeconomic conditions and strong entrepreneurial sentiment.
State to watch
QLD
Significant growth observed, with business expansion opportunities bolstering activity.
Company registration activity in Q1 2026 markedly outpaced prior year, driven by economic confidence and increased entrepreneurial endeavours across various sectors. New South Wales and Victoria continued to lead in absolute numbers, while Queensland demonstrated notable relative growth. This growth pattern suggests a positive trajectory, buoyed by supportive financial conditions and robust demand across industries.
Despite robust company registration rates, potential risks in the economic landscape cannot be overlooked. Although the insolvency rate has yet to be fully quantified, economic indicators such as cash rates and lending trends point to an environment that warrants close scrutiny. Structural factors, including technology-driven efficiencies and consumer demand shifts, continue to shape the business landscape.
Quarterly Company Registration Trend
Source: ASICJanuary
February
March
State Breakdown
State Velocity
| State | Q1 2026 total | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 31,074 | — |
| Victoria | 23,128 | — |
| Queensland | 19,631 | — |
| Western Australia | 8,869 | — |
| South Australia | 5,051 | — |
| ACT | 1,450 | — |
| Tasmania | 765 | — |
| Northern Territory | 491 | — |
Full-Year Context
Source: ASICYear-to-date total for 2026: 90,459 registrations through Q1. Full-year projection based on current run rate and seasonality.
Survival Rates
Source: ABS CABEE| Structure | 1-year | 3-year | 5-year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company | 79% | 58% | 46% |
| Sole trader | 72% | 48% | 37% |
| Partnership | 71% | 47% | 37% |
| All businesses | 75% | 54% | 43% |
RBA Cash Rate
4.35%
Business Credit Growth
9.9% YoY
SME Loan Stock
6.5% growth
Insolvency Rate
0.49% of reg. cos
Registration Heatmap
Month × Year intensity| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 25k | 31k | 34k |
Insolvency Counterweight
Source: ASIC Series 10.49%
External administrations as a percentage of all registered companies (YTD).
Credit Conditions
Source: RBA D19.9%
Business credit growth year-on-year. Cash rate: 4.35%.
Key Insights
Data Sources
ASIC Company Registrations
Monthly registrations by state. Published 3–5 weeks after month end.
MonthlyABS CABEE
Business entries, exits, and survival rates. Annual FY basis.
AnnualASIC Insolvency Series 1
External administrations. Weekly, 2 weeks in arrears.
WeeklyRBA Financial Aggregates
Business credit growth YoY. Table D1, monthly.
MonthlyRBA Cash Rate
Target cash rate, updated after RBA Board meetings.
MonthlyHoncho Platform Data
Anonymised registration enquiry volumes from Honcho's platform.
Proprietary