The interior of Bosphorus, a long-established Turkish restaurant in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, on April 11, 2026. [Photo/IC]

Average revenue per self-employed business in Zhejiang reached 135,400 yuan (about $19,856) in the first quarter, as the province's self-employed sector continued to expand, according to the Zhejiang Administration for Market Regulation.

By the end of March, the number of registered self-employed businesses in the province had reached 7.3833 million, up 2.95 percent year-on-year.

Among all sectors, the fastest growth was recorded in scientific research and technical services, information transmission, software and information technology services, and culture, sports, and entertainment, which rose by 27.76 percent, 26.09 percent, 16.01 percent, and 16.01 percent, respectively.

Data also showed that 95.17 percent of self-employed businesses in normal operation were profitable in the first quarter, up 0.9 percentage points from a year earlier. The average profit per business was 37,300 yuan.

The market regulator said Zhejiang will continue to improve support mechanisms for self-employed businesses, ensure relief policies reach them more directly and efficiently, deepen its service month campaign, and step up efforts to foster the growth of small businesses.