New business density in Malaysia
Malaysia: New business density was 2.38 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.38 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
Change on year
up 5.8%
World rank
85th
of 177 countries
All-time high
2.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
in 2014
All-time low
2.04 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64
in 2020
Years of data
19
2006–2024
New business density in Malaysia, 2006–2024
Source: Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB). Measured in new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
Analysis
In 2024, new business density in Malaysia stood at 2.38 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64.
That represents a change of up 5.8% on the previous year and down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, new business density in Malaysia peaked at 2.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 2.04 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64, in 2020.
That places Malaysia 85th out of 177 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
New business density in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2.23 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | — |
| 2007 | 2.45 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 2.29 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 2.21 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 2.3 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 2.31 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 2.26 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 2.32 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 2.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +5.8% |
| 2015 | 2.27 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -7.6% |
| 2016 | 2.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 2.34 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +9.6% |
| 2018 | 2.28 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 2.21 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 2.04 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | -7.7% |
| 2021 | 2.05 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 2.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 2.25 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +5.2% |
| 2024 | 2.38 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | +5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.3 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 2.21 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 2.45 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 4 |
| 2010s | 2.29 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 2.14 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 2.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.17 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 2.04 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 2.38 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 82 Jamaica 2.6 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 83 United Arab Emirates 2.48 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 84 Greece 2.45 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 86 Poland 2.38 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 87 Timor-Leste 2.34 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
- 88 Albania 2.29 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 compare
More private sector data for Malaysia
- Merchandise trade 151.7% (2025)
- Food imports 8.3% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 72.0% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 340.44 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 10.4% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 72.7% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 376.04 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 10,452 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.7964 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 13.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is new business density in Malaysia?
- New business density in Malaysia was 2.38 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2024, according to Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest new business density recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.46 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2014.
- What is the lowest new business density recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.04 new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64 in 2020.
- How does Malaysia rank for new business density?
- Malaysia ranks 85th out of 177 countries with data for 2024.
- Is new business density rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from Entrepreneurship Database, World Bank (WB), published as part of New business density (new registrations per 1,000 people ages 15-64). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The number of newly registered firms with limited liability per 1,000 working-age people (ages 15-64) per calendar year.