Ease of Doing Business in 2026

B-READY, and how to read it.

What replaced the World Bank Ease of Doing Business ranking?

Business Ready, known as B-READY, launched in 2024 and rolling out through 2026. The World Bank retired Doing Business in 2021 after data irregularities eroded trust in the old index. Its replacement scores economies on three pillars, regulatory framework, public services, and operational efficiency, across ten topics that follow the life cycle of a firm, from business entry to insolvency. The first edition covered 50 economies, with coverage expanding substantially through 2026, and it deliberately publishes pillar and topic scores rather than one headline rank.

That design matters for buyers. A country can write excellent rules and deliver them badly, or vice versa. B-READY separates the two, which is exactly the distinction a founder relocating a company and a family needs to see.

Composite and pillar views.

Which countries are easiest to do business in for 2026?

Singapore, Denmark, and the United States top the EIU’s composite ranking, and the B-READY pillar leaders add texture. On World Bank data, Hungary scores highest on regulatory framework, Estonia on public services, and Singapore on operational efficiency, while Greece leads for ease of starting a business. The UAE, though outside the first B-READY cohort, continues to draw founders on tax and visa grounds, pairing business ease with the 10-year Golden Visa.

Sources: World Bank B-READY data, Economist Intelligence Unit business environment rankings, Henley & Partners programme data, published 2025-2026.

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How does ease of doing business interact with property decisions?

It picks the jurisdiction before the property search begins. A founder choosing between Singapore, Dubai, and Lisbon is choosing a regulatory regime, a tax base, a school system, and a property market in one decision. Ease of business is rarely the stated reason for the purchase, but it is often the filter that produced the shortlist.

Intric maps this intent alongside residency implications, preservation characteristics, and education access across more than 70 markets on a comparable basis, so a family can see where a single purchase satisfies the most of what it is actually trying to do. The intelligence layer surfaces the comparison and the trade-offs. The judgment, and the decision, stay with the investor and their advisers.

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What replaced the World Bank Ease of Doing Business index?

Business Ready (B-READY), launched in 2024 and rolling out through 2026. It scores economies on regulatory framework, public services, and operational efficiency across ten firm life-cycle topics rather than issuing one headline rank.

Which country is easiest to do business in for 2026?

Singapore tops the Economist Intelligence Unit’s business environment ranking, followed by Denmark and the United States, and leads the B-READY operational efficiency pillar.

Which countries lead the B-READY pillars?

On World Bank data, Hungary leads on regulatory framework, Estonia on public services, and Singapore on operational efficiency, with Greece scoring best for ease of starting a business.

Can a business-friendly base also carry a residency route?

Several can. The UAE pairs zero personal income tax with a Golden Visa from AED 2m, Greece pairs easy business entry with a €400k golden visa, and the United States runs EB-5 and the US$1m Gold Card.

Sources and further reading: World Bank, Business Ready (B-READY) (framework, pillar scores, and rollout); Economist Intelligence Unit (business environment rankings 2026); Henley & Partners (residency programme thresholds).

This report is provided for information only and is not tax, legal, immigration, or investment advice. Rules change frequently and vary by individual circumstance; take qualified professional advice before acting. Property values can fall as well as rise and capital is at risk. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Figures are rounded and attributed to the named third parties above. A UK property confers no residency or visa right.