It's no secret that small businesses in New Zealand have done it tough, having fallen further behind Asia-Pacific counterparts.
New Zealand’s small businesses have ranked last out of 11 Asia-Pacific markets for growth for the second-year running, according to CPA Australia’s 18th annual Small Business Survey of more than 4,100 businesses across the region.
Small businesses make up 97 percent of all enterprises in New Zealand and employ more than a quarter of the workforce, making their performance central to the country’s economic outlook.
Only 38 percent of New Zealand small businesses reported growth in 2025, up marginally from 36 percent the previous year, but well below the survey average of 62 percent.
CPA Australia’s Regional Head, Rick Jones, said the results highlighted persistent challenges facing New Zealand’s small business sector.
“While small businesses across most of the Asia-Pacific are growing, New Zealand remains at the bottom of the table. In Vietnam, 84.5 percent of small businesses grew last year. In Singapore, the figure was 43.5 percent. In New Zealand, it was 38 percent. The gap is significant and it’s not closing.”
Forward-looking indicators are equally concerning. Just five percent of New Zealand’s small businesses plan to introduce a new product, service or process in 2026, down from eight percent a year earlier and well below the survey average of 29 percent. Hiring has also stalled, with only seven percent expanding their workforce in 2025 compared with 36 percent regionally.
New Zealand’s small businesses have ranked last out of 11 Asia-Pacific markets for growth for the second-year running, according to CPA Australia’s 18th annual Small Business Survey of more than 4,100 businesses across the region.
Small businesses make up 97 percent of all enterprises in New Zealand and employ more than a quarter of the workforce, making their performance central to the country’s economic outlook.
Only 38 percent of New Zealand small businesses reported growth in 2025, up marginally from 36 percent the previous year, but well below the survey average of 62 percent.
CPA Australia’s Regional Head, Rick Jones, said the results highlighted persistent challenges facing New Zealand’s small business sector.
“While small businesses across most of the Asia-Pacific are growing, New Zealand remains at the bottom of the table. In Vietnam, 84.5 percent of small businesses grew last year. In Singapore, the figure was 43.5 percent. In New Zealand, it was 38 percent. The gap is significant and it’s not closing.”
Forward-looking indicators are equally concerning. Just five percent of New Zealand’s small businesses plan to introduce a new product, service or process in 2026, down from eight percent a year earlier and well below the survey average of 29 percent. Hiring has also stalled, with only seven percent expanding their workforce in 2025 compared with 36 percent regionally.
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