Operating a business in Ukraine: online entrepreneur activity continues to growDespite challenging conditions, the activity of online entrepreneurs continues to increase. During the first seven months of 2026, a simultaneous increase in the active client base, the number of new connections, and business turnover was recorded.This is reported by WayForPay.The data show positive year-on-year dynamics across several indicators: the average monthly number of active clients grew by 18.2%, new connections increased by 9%, the number of customers resuming activity grew by 16%, and turnover by 21%.
Significantly More Active Than a Year Ago
If we take the number of active WayForPay users for each month from January to July 2026 and calculate the average, it amounts to 16,553 users compared to 14,009 for the same period in 2025.The average monthly rate increased by 18.2%. At the same time, the total number of WayForPay clients exceeds 50,000.The advantage over last year was maintained in each of the seven months. In January, there were 22% more active clients year-on-year, and in July, 12.2% more: 16,432 versus 14,642.
Looking at the dynamics within 2026 itself, it was uneven. From 16,091 clients in January, the active base increased to 16,837 in May, after which it adjusted to 16,432 in July. However, even the July figure remains more than 12% higher than a year ago.In December 2025, 16,695 clients were active. Therefore, the July figure is approximately 1.6% lower than the level at the end of last year. This suggests a stabilization of the active base during 2026 after its significant expansion, rather than a decline in activity year-on-year.Over two years, the average active base of WayForPay has grown by almost 69%, and turnover by approximately 55%.
The Number of New Connections is Growing
From January to July 2026, WayForPay received 7,394 new connections compared to 6,784 in the same period last year. Thus, the number of new clients increased by approximately 9%.
Growth is driven not only by already connected businesses that continue to operate or return after a break. The service is simultaneously attracting more completely new merchants than a year ago.However, broader statistics on online entrepreneurship show a different trend. According to YC. Market, in Q2 2026, online retail remained the most popular type of activity among new sole proprietorships (FOPs), but the number of registrations under NACE code 47.91 decreased by 34% year-on-year. In the quarter, 6.1 thousand such FOPs were registered, while 2.6 thousand ceased operations, so the balance remained positive.These figures cannot be directly compared with WayForPay data: registering a sole proprietorship under a specific NACE code and connecting a business to a payment service are different processes. However, against the backdrop of slowing registrations of new entrepreneurs, particularly in online retail, WayForPay’s 9% growth in new connections looks particularly significant.
The Number of Returning Businesses is Increasing
Another noticeable trend is the increase in the number of clients who previously used WayForPay, were inactive for some time, and then resumed operations.In the seven months of 2026, there were 12,105 such clients – 16% more than a year earlier.As a result, the total inflow – new and reactivated clients combined – increased from 17,222 in January-July 2025 to 19,499 in 2026. This is an increase of approximately 13.2%.The structure of this inflow has also slightly changed. In 2025, new clients accounted for about 39.4% of the total inflow, while in 2026, they accounted for about 37.9%. Accordingly, the share of clients returning after a break increased from approximately 60.6% to 62.1%.This means that the role of previously connected businesses remains very significant, but this is not due to a decrease in the number of new clients: both components of the inflow are growing in 2026.During the same period, the number of clients who became inactive increased from 15,911 to 18,762, or by 17.9%. At the same time, the average monthly active base grew at a faster rate – by 18.2%.In January-July 2025, the total inflow was 17,222 clients, while 15,911 became inactive. The difference was +1,311.In 2026, the inflow increased to 19,499 clients, while 18,762 became inactive. Thus, the balance also remains positive – +737 clients.This data indicates high client base mobility: some entrepreneurs suspend their activity, while new businesses arrive, and previously inactive ones return to work.Such dynamics can be influenced by seasonality and the natural life cycle of small businesses, as well as the conditions under which Ukrainian entrepreneurs operate today: staff shortages, mobilization, security risks, power outages, and rising operating costs.According to: Finance.ua# Business# FintechPlace for your advertisement