Key information about US External Debt

• United States External Debt reached 25,798.1 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 26,895.8 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• US External Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Jun 2003 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 26,895.8 USD bn in Jun 2024 and a record low of 6,570.2 USD bn in Jun 2003.

The US Department of Treasury provides External Debt in USD based on BPM6. External Debt prior to Q3 2014 is based on BPM5.


Related information about US External Debt

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 310.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 96.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 96.8 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 637.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Federal Debt Held by Foreign and International Investors as Percent of Gross Domestic Product (HBFIGDQ188S) from Q1 1970 to Q2 2025 about foreign, debt, federal, GDP, and USA.

External Debt in the United States increased to 28604291 USD Million in the second quarter of 2025 from 28097015 USD Million in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Net International Investment Position - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of December 2024, Japan held United States treasury securities totaling about 1.06 trillion U.S. dollars. Foreign holders of United States treasury debt According to the Federal Reserve and U.S. Department of the Treasury, foreign countries held a total of 8.5 trillion U.S. dollars in U.S. treasury securities as of December 2024. Of the total held by foreign countries, Japan and Mainland China held the greatest portions, with China holding 759 billion U.S. dollars in U.S. securities. The U.S. public debt In 2023, the United States had a total public national debt of 33.2 trillion U.S. dollars, an amount that has been rising steadily, particularly since 2008. In 2023, the total interest expense on debt held by the public of the United States reached 678 billion U.S. dollars, while 197 billion U.S. dollars in interest expense were intra governmental debt holdings. Total outlays of the U.S. government were 6.1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. By 2029, spending is projected to reach 8.3 trillion U.S. dollars.

Key information about United States External Debt: % of GDP

• United States External Debt accounted for 93.7 % of the country's Nominal GDP in 2023, compared with the ratio of 94.4 % in the previous year.
• US External Debt: % of Nominal GDP data is updated yearly, available from Dec 2003 to Dec 2023.
• The data reached an all-time high of 100.0 % in Dec 2020 and a record low of 60.6 % in Dec 2003.

CEIC calculates External Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly External Debt and annual Nominal GDP. The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides External Debt in USD based on BPM6. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. External Debt prior to 2014 is based on BPM5.


Related information about United States External Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 266.8 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 93.6 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 56.2 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 258.7 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• The country's External Debt reached 26,467,035.0 in Mar 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Key information about United States External Debt: Short Term

• United States External Debt: Short Term value stood at 8,657.9 USD bn in Sep 2024, compared with 8,495.7 USD bn in the previous quarter.
• US External Debt: Short Term data is updated quarterly, available from Jun 2003 to Sep 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 8,657.9 USD bn in Sep 2024 and a record low of 2,718.8 USD bn in Jun 2003.

CEIC calculates quarterly Short Term External Debt as the sum of quarterly Short Term External Debt breakdowns for General Government, Central Bank, Deposit Taking Corporations and Other Sectors. The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides Short Term External Debt in USD based on BPM6. Short Term External Debt prior to Q3 2014 is based on BPM5.


Related information about United States External Debt: Short Term

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 310.9 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 96.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 96.8 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 637.6 USD bn in Sep 2024.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Total outstanding debt of the U.S. government reported daily. Includes a breakout of intragovernmental holdings (federal debt held by U.S. government) and debt held by the public (federal debt held by entities outside the U.S. government).

In September 2024, the national debt of the United States had risen up to 35.46 trillion U.S. dollars. The national debt per capita had risen to 85,552 U.S. dollars in 2021. As represented by the statistic above, the public debt of the United States has been continuously rising. U.S. public debt Public debt, also known as national and governmental debt, is the debt owed by a nations’ central government. In the case of the U.S., national debt is owed by the federal government to Treasury security holders. Generally speaking, government debt increases with government spending, and can be decreased through taxes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. government increased spending significantly to finance virus infrastructure, aid, and various forms of economic relief. International public debt Venezuela leads the global ranking of the 20 countries with the highest public debt in 2021. In relation to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Venezuela's public debt amounted to around 306.95 percent of GDP. Eritrea was ranked fifth, with an estimated debt of 170 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. The national debt of the United Kingdom is forecasted to grow from 87 percent in 2022 to 70 percent in 2027, in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. These figures include England, Wales, Scotland as well as Northern Ireland. Greece had the highest national debt among EU countries as of the 4th quarter of 2020 in relation to the Gross Domestic Product. Germany ranked 13th in the EU, with its national debt amounting to 69 percent of GDP in the same time period. Tuvalu was one of the 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2021 in relation to the GDP, while Macao had an estimated level of national debt of zero percent, the lowest of any country. The data refer to the debts of the entire state, including the central government, the provinces, municipalities, local authorities and social insurance.

Key information about United States Government Debt: % of GDP

• United States Government debt accounted for 124.0 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 123.1 % in the previous quarter.
• US government debt to GDP ratio data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1969 to Dec 2024.
• The data reached an all-time high of 130.4 % in Mar 2021 and a record low of 31.8 % in Sep 1974.

CEIC calculates quarterly Government Debt as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Government Debt and rolling sum of quarterly Nominal GDP. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service provides Government Debt in USD. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. Government Debt covers Central Government only.


Related information about United States Government Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, US National Government Debt reached 36,220.2 USD bn in Jan 2025.
• The country's Nominal GDP reached 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

Key information about United States External Debt: Short Term: % of GDP

• United States External Debt: Short Term accounted for 29.6 % of the country's Nominal GDP in 2023, compared with the ratio of 30.9 % in the previous year.
• US External Debt: Short Term: % of Nominal GDP data is updated yearly, available from 2003 to 2023.
• The data reached an all-time high of 39.4 % in 2007 and a record low of 25.0 % in 2003.

CEIC calculates Short Term External Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Short Term External Debt and annual Nominal GDP. Short Term External Debt is calculated as the sum of Short Term External Debt breakdowns for General Government, Central Bank, Deposit Taking Corporations and Other Sectors. The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides Short Term External Debt in USD based on BPM6. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides Nominal GDP in USD. Short Term External Debt prior to 2014 is based on BPM5.


Related information about United States External Debt: Short Term: % of GDP

• In the latest reports of US, Current Account recorded a deficit of 266.8 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) increased by 93.6 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• US Direct Investment Abroad expanded by 56.2 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• Its Foreign Portfolio Investment increased by 258.7 USD bn in Jun 2024.
• US External Debt: Short Term value stood at 8,342.4 USD bn in Dec 2023.
• The country's Nominal GDP was reported at 6,632.4 USD bn in Mar 2023.

China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data was reported at 966.080 USD bn in Dec 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,000.160 USD bn for Sep 2024. China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data is updated quarterly, averaging 856.892 USD bn from Dec 2009 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 61 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,290.516 USD bn in Mar 2022 and a record low of 180.883 USD bn in Dec 2009. China Foreign Debt: U.S. Dollar data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by State Administration of Foreign Exchange. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Government and Public Finance – Table CN.FA: Foreign Debt: Quarterly.

Government Debt in the United States increased to 37637553 USD Million in September from 37274266 USD Million in August of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Government Debt- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The statistic shows the external debt in Latin America and the Caribbean from 2016 to 2026. In 2024, the external debt of Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to about 2.74 trillion U.S. dollars.

A table that summarizes the amounts outstanding for the securities issued by the Bureau of the Fiscal Service adjusted for Unamortized Discount on Treasury Bills and Zero Coupon Treasury Bonds, Other Debt (old debt issued before 1917 and old currency called United States Notes), Debt held by the Federal Financing Bank and Guaranteed Debt of Government Agencies that makes up the Total Public Debt Subject to Limit amount.

View quarterly updates and historical trends for US Foreign Public Debt. from United States. Source: Department of the Treasury. Track economic data with …

High-level information on the federal government's outstanding debts, holdings, and the statutory debt limit. Data is reported monthly.

Graph and download economic data for Foreign Banking Offices in the U.S.; Debt Securities; Asset, Level (FBOUSDSA) from Q4 1945 to Q2 2025 about foreign offices, foreign, debt, securities, assets, banks, depository institutions, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Foreign Banking Offices in the U.S.; Debt Securities; Asset, Level (BOGZ1FL754022005A) from 1945 to 2024 about foreign offices, foreign, debt, securities, assets, banks, depository institutions, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Outstanding Total International Debt Securities to GDP for United States (DDDM07USA156NWDB) from 1980 to 2020 about issues, debt, GDP, and USA.

At the end of 2024, depository institutions owned around 5.12 percent of the total U.S. debt. Depository institutions includes U.S. chartered depository institutions, foreign banking offices in the United States, banks in U.S. affiliated areas, credit unions, and bank holding companies. The total debt accrued by the U.S. annually can be accessed here.