Global leasing industry reaches $1.54 trillion, reports Solifi

The global leasing industry generated $1.538 trillion in new business in 2024, highlighting the scale of the equipment finance market despite a slight decline from the previous year, according to the 2026 Global Leasing Report published by Solifi.

The report shows that global leasing volumes slipped marginally from $1.554 trillion in 2023, but the sector has still expanded by 63 percent over the past decade, underlining the increasing role of leasing in financing business investment around the world.

Three regions dominate the global market. North America, Europe and Asia together account for around 96 percent of global leasing volume, reflecting the concentration of large equipment finance markets in the world’s biggest economies.

North America remains the largest regional market, generating $564 billion in new business in 2024, representing roughly 37 percent of global activity. The region recorded 2.8 percent growth during the year. The United States continues to dominate the market, producing $524 billion in leasing business and growing 3.1 percent year on year, according to industry data cited in the report.

Europe ranked as the second-largest leasing region, producing $474 billion in new business, though volumes declined 3.9 percent when measured in U.S. dollars. Despite the decline, the region still represents about 31 percent of the global leasing market. The United Kingdom and Germany remain among the world’s largest leasing markets, generating roughly $98 billion and $89 billion in new business respectively. France, Italy and Poland also feature among the top global markets.

Asia recorded $448 billion in new leasing activity, representing about 29 percent of global volume, though the region experienced a 1.9 percent decline year on year. China remains the second-largest leasing market globally, producing $344 billion in new business, while Japan reported strong growth of nearly 13 percent, reaching approximately $66 billion in leasing volume.

Outside the three dominant regions, results were mixed. South America saw a 7 percent decline in new business, largely due to weaker performance in Brazil and volatility in several domestic markets. Australia and New Zealand recorded a 10 percent decline, while Africa experienced the fastest growth globally, rising about 32 percent, although the region still represents less than one percent of total global leasing activity.

The report highlights that the global leasing industry is heavily concentrated among a small group of large markets. The five largest countries – the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan – account for more than 73 percent of total global leasing volume, meaning trends in those markets largely determine the direction of the global industry.

The Global Leasing Report, compiled as part of the World Leasing Yearbook 2026, analyses leasing activity across 50 national markets, including regional growth patterns, leasing penetration ratios and macroeconomic indicators. The study draws on data from national leasing associations, central banks and industry organisations to provide a benchmark for the equipment finance sector.

The full report is available for download free of charge here.