The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development published its 2026 country note on SME and entrepreneurship financing in Denmark, reporting that new lending to small and medium-sized enterprises fell 8% from DKK 46 billion in 2023 to DKK 42 billion in 2024. SME lending represented 6.38% of total new business lending, below the 10.11% average for 2014-2023. New short-term SME loans declined 20%, while new long-term loans rose 27.27%. SME interest rates dropped from 8.97% in 2023 to 4.91% in 2024, narrowing the spread over rates for large firms to 0.34 percentage points. Venture and growth capital remained high at EUR 1.117 billion despite a 25% decline in growth capital by volume. SME bankruptcies fell from 2,448 to 1,999, while average business-to-business payment delays increased from 11 days in 2022 to 16 days in 2023. Denmark’s 2024 Entrepreneurship Package allocated more than DKK 2 billion to general and green financing mandates, made several government-backed financing schemes permanent and reduced tax barriers for entrepreneurs.
2026-09-21OECD
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reports 8% decline in new Danish SME lending in 2024
The OECD reported that new Danish SME lending declined 8% to DKK 42 billion in 2024, while SME interest rates fell from 8.97% to 4.91%. Venture and growth capital remained high at EUR 1.117 billion, and SME bankruptcies dropped from 2,448 to 1,999. Denmark’s Entrepreneurship Package allocated more than DKK 2 billion to financing mandates and made several government-backed schemes permanent.