How much is the US in debt?
Asked by: Anibal Grady | Last update: October 11, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (61 votes)
Who do we owe the US debt to?
Public debt, which accounts for roughly 80% of the total, is owed to investors. Those investors include foreign governments, mutual funds, pension funds, and individuals among others. The Federal Reserve owns part of this public debt. Intragovernmental debt accounts for the other 20%.
What is the US national debt amount?
As of December 2023, total federal debt was $33.1 trillion; $26.5 trillion held by the public and $12.1 trillion in intragovernmental debt.
Who owns most US debt?
How much does the US owe China?
America owes China about $1 trillion dollars. Until we balance the US budget and pay down our debt, China's ownership of 7 percent of the national debt will continue to give it a vested interest in America's prosperity, not leverage to do us harm.
Who does the US Owe its $35 Trillion debt? (National Debt Explained)
Which country is most in debt?
Ranked: Government Debt by Country
As the world's largest economy, the U.S. debt pile continues to balloon, accounting for 34.6% of the world's total government debt.
Can the US ever get out of debt?
Eliminating the U.S. government's debt is a Herculean task that could take decades. In addition to obvious steps, such as hiking taxes and slashing spending, the government could take a number of other approaches, some of them unorthodox and even controversial.
Who is the US most in debt to?
Japan and China have been the largest foreign holders of US debt for the last two decades. From 2000 to 2023, annual totals are based on data from December, while the 2024 data is updated through April.
How much is America worth?
The financial position of the United States includes assets of at least $269 trillion (1576% of GDP) and debts of $145.8 trillion (852% of GDP) to produce a net worth of at least $123.8 trillion (723% of GDP).
What happens if China dumps US bonds?
If China (or any other nation that has a trade surplus with the U.S.) stops buying U.S. Treasuries or even starts dumping its U.S. forex reserves, its trade surplus would become a trade deficit—something which no export-oriented economy would want, as they would be worse off as a result.
Why is US debt so high?
Key Drivers of the National Debt. What is causing the growth of our national debt? There are three primary drivers of the overall growth in spending: America's aging population, rising healthcare costs, and rapidly escalating interest costs.
How will the US pay its debt?
Government debt is financed through issuance of U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds. Higher interest rates mean the U.S. Department of the Treasury must offer higher interest rates on newly-issued debt.
What countries still owe the US money?
- Bermuda. Total Debt Held: $77.4 Billion. ...
- Germany. Total Debt Held: $91.3 Billion. ...
- Norway. Total Debt Held: $104.4 Billion. ...
- Korea. Total Debt Held: $105.8 Billion. ...
- Saudi Arabia. Total Debt Held: $111 Billion. ...
- France. Total Debt Held: $183.9 Billion. ...
- Singapore. ...
- Brazil.
What would happen if the US paid off its debt?
How would a country pay off 75% of its GDP in debt all at once? The most likely answer is "printing trillions of new dollars," which would almost certainly cause high inflation.
Who owes China the most money?
Which country owes the most debt to China? Pakistan owes the most debt to China, totaling $26.6 billion. This debt primarily funds infrastructure and energy projects, making repayment particularly challenging due to commercial interest rates. How much debt does Angola owe to China?
What countries are not in debt?
- Hong Kong.
- Brunei.
- Timor-Leste.
- Afghanistan.
- Turkmenistan.
What is the US's biggest asset?
Student loans make up the biggest financial asset held by the federal government, and by an enormous margin. The rapid growth in student loan debt in the past decade has become an ongoing topic with the financial press.
How much do the top 1% own?
For example, the top 1 percent of households hold 30.3 percent of the total wealth, according to the Federal Reserve. But just the top 0.1 percent own 13.5 percent of the total wealth, giving them a stunning average of more than $158 million per household.
How can the US get out of debt?
Who owns over 70% of the U.S. debt?
Who owns the most U.S. debt? Around 70 percent of U.S. debt is held by domestic financial actors and institutions in the United States. U.S. Treasuries represent a convenient, liquid, low-risk store of value.
How much is China in debt?
China National Government Debt reached 4,230.0 USD bn in Dec 2023, compared with 3,750.7 USD bn in the previous year. China National Government Debt data is updated yearly, available from Dec 2005 to Dec 2023. The data reached an all-time high of 4,230.0 USD bn in Dec 2023 and a record low of 404.1 USD bn in Dec 2005.
What country is #1 in debt?
United States. The United States boasts both the world's biggest national debt in terms of dollar amount and its largest economy, which resolves to a debt-to GDP ratio of approximately 121.31%.
What happens if US debt gets too high?
A nation saddled with debt will have less to invest in its own future. Rising debt means fewer economic opportunities for Americans. Rising debt reduces business investment and slows economic growth. It also increases expectations of higher rates of inflation and erosion of confidence in the U.S. dollar.
Who does the US borrow money from?
How the Federal Government Borrows Money. The federal government borrows money from the public by issuing securities—bills, notes, and bonds—through the Treasury. Treasury securities are attractive to investors because they are: Backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.