Who is the largest single holder of the federal debt?
Ava Robinson
Published Feb 17, 2026
Foreign holders of United States treasury debt Of the total 7.03 trillion held by foreign countries, Japan and Mainland China held the greatest portions. China held 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars in U.S. securities. Japan held 1.24 trillion U.S. dollars worth.
Who owns most of the US national debt?
The public holds over $21 trillion, or almost 78%, of the national debt. 1 Foreign governments hold about a third of the public debt, while the rest is owned by U.S. banks and investors, the Federal Reserve, state and local governments, mutual funds, pensions funds, insurance companies, and savings bonds.
Who are the top three holders of public debt in the United States?
Including private investors and governments, the top three estimated foreign holders of federal debt by country, as of December 2020, are Japan ($1.2 trillion), China ($1.1 trillion), and the United Kingdom ($0.4 trillion).
What countries are not in debt?
10 Countries with the Lowest Debt Available
- Brunei (GDP: 2.46%) Brunei is one of the countries with the lowest debt.
- Afghanistan (GDP: 6.32%)
- Estonia (GDP: 8.12%)
- Botswana (GDP: 12.84%)
- Congo (GDP: 13.31%)
- Solomon Islands (GDP: 16.41%)
- United Arab Emirates (GDP: 19.35%)
- Russia (GDP: 19.48%)
What country has the least debt?
In 2020, Russia’s estimated level of national debt reached about 19.35 percent of the GDP, ranking 13th of the countries with the lowest national debt….The 20 countries with the lowest national debt in 2020 in relation to gross domestic product (GDP)
| Characteristic | National debt in relation to GDP |
|---|---|
| Russia | 19.35% |
Of the total 7.03 trillion held by foreign countries, Japan and Mainland China held the greatest portions. China held 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars in U.S. securities. Japan held 1.24 trillion U.S. dollars worth. Other foreign holders included oil exporting countries and Caribbean banking centers.
Who has the largest national debt?
Japan
Japan, with its population of 127,185,332, has the highest national debt in the world at 234.18% of its GDP, followed by Greece at 181.78%. Japan’s national debt currently sits at ¥1,028 trillion ($9.087 trillion USD).
What 3 groups own most of the U.S. debt?
What country has no national debt?
Saudi Arabia has maintained one of the lowest debt-to-GDP ratios due to its high export rates, which primarily consist of petroleum and petroleum goods.
How much does China own in the US?
Breaking Down Ownership of US Debt China owns about $1.1 trillion in U.S. debt, or a bit more than the amount Japan owns. Whether you’re an American retiree or a Chinese bank, American debt is considered a sound investment.
Which is the largest holder of US debt?
U.S. debt holdings: $2.67 trillion. The largest portion of U.S. Intergovernmental Securities and the biggest holder of U.S. debt is the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fundand the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund,together comprising the Social Security Trust Fund or OASDI.
How much is the national debt of the United States?
The U.S. debt was $20.5 trillion as of December 31, 2017. Most headlines focus on how much the United States owes China, one of the largest foreign owners. What many people don’t know is that the Social Security Trust Fund, aka your retirement money, owns most of the national debt.
Who is the largest lender to the US government?
The largest single “private” institution that has loaned money to the U.S. government is the U.S. Federal Reserve which, like China, has been reducing its holdings of U.S. government-issued debt. At the end of September 2018, the Fed held 12.5% of the U.S. government’s total public debt outstanding.
How much of the US debt is owned by foreigners?
Foreign: $7.07 trillion (in September 2020, Japan owned $1.28 trillion and China owned $1.06 trillion of U.S. debt, which is more than a third of foreign holdings Federal Reserve and government: $10.81 trillion (December 2020)
