The Growth of Estonia’s e-Residency

Estonia’s e-Residency is a government-run digital ID program that allows non-residents to open and run an EU-based company entirely online. Launched in 2014, it has grown into a global community of location-independent founders, freelancers, and digital nomads.

By October 2025, Estonia counted over 131,700 e-residents and more than 38,500 companies founded by them.

The Growth of Estonia’s e-Residency in Numbers

From 100,000 to 130,000+ e-residents in under three years

  • February 2023: Estonia celebrated its 100,000th e-resident.
  • Mid-2024: The number grew to 117,000 e-residents from 185 countries.
  • October 2025: The official dashboard shows 131,700+ e-residents.

This represents:

  • +17% growth from early 2023 (100k) to mid-2024 (117k)
  • Another ~12.5% growth from mid-2024 (117k) to late 2025 (131.7k)
  • An overall increase of about 32% in less than three years

Rapid Increase in E-Resident Companies

It’s not only individuals that are growing — company creation is accelerating even faster.

  • By mid-2024, e-residents had founded or co-founded 31,800+ Estonian companies, representing 1 in 5 new companies in the country.
  • By October 2025, the number reached 38,500+ companies — about 21% growth in just over a year.
  • In the first half of 2024 alone, e-residents created 2,450 new companies, up 7% compared to the same period in 2023.

Real Money: Tax Revenue and Economic Impact

This program is far from symbolic — it delivers substantial economic value to Estonia.

  • 2023: €67.4 million in direct state revenue (labour taxes, dividend taxes, and state fees), with an estimated ROI close to 10×.
  • First half of 2024: €31 million added to the state budget.
  • First half of 2025: €68 million generated — almost the entirety of 2024’s revenue in just six months.

Since launch, the program’s total direct economic impact exceeded €244 million by 2024 and surpassed €340 million by mid-2025.

Who Is Using e-Residency Today?

The largest groups of e-residents come from:
Ukraine, Germany, Spain, Finland, France, China, Turkey, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Top industries include:

  • IT and software development
  • Consulting and business services
  • E-commerce and online retail
  • Marketing, media, and creative industries

In 2023, 38% of Estonian startups were connected to e-residents, highlighting their major role in the country’s innovation ecosystem.

Predictions: What to Expect from Estonia’s e-Residency in 2026

While exact numbers are impossible to predict, the current growth rate is clear.
From early 2023 (100k e-residents) to late 2025 (131.7k+), annual growth averages 10–12%.

If this trend continues, by the end of 2026:

  • The community could exceed 150,000 e-residents worldwide
  • E-resident-founded companies may reach 45,000–50,000
  • Revenue is likely to continue increasing

Revenue is likely to keep climbing as well. With €68 million already generated in the first half of 2025 and program leaders publicly expecting at least one‑third higher annual revenue than the previous year, Fintech in Baltic a further jump in 2026 is plausible if the global economy remains stable.  

Join the e-residence community now! Let’s grow with Silva Hunt! 

by
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes