FACTBOX-Who owns US debt?
Feb 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. government has nearly $36 trillion of debt on issue and its bonds are the bedrock of the global financial system.
President Donald Trump said Sunday his administration was examining Treasury debt payments for possible fraud and suggested that the country's debt might not be that high - remarks that may unsettle investors who regard the U.S. as creditworthy and its debt as a safe asset.
Treasuries are held widely and used globally as financial reserves, as a benchmark for pricing and as collateral for borrowing. Below is a breakdown of U.S. debt ownership.
By owner:
Owner | Holding size (U.S. dollars) |
U.S. Federal Reserve system | $4.7 trillion |
Social Security and other U.S. agencies | $2.4 trillion |
Foreign investors | $8.7 trillion |
U.S. investors and other U.S. holders | $19.7 trillion |
And by foreign investor:
Country/Region/City | Holding size (U.S. dollars) |
Japan | $1,099 billion |
China | $768.6 billion |
Britain | $765.6 billion |
Luxembourg | $424.5 billion |
Cayman Islands | $397 billion |
Canada | $374.4 billion |
Belgium | $361.3 billion |
Ireland | $338.1 billion |
France | $332.5 billion |
Switzerland | $300.6 billion |
Taiwan | $286.9 billion |
Singapore | $257.7 billion |
Hong Kong | $255.7 billion |
India | $234 billion |
Brazil | $229 billion |
Norway | $159 billion |
Saudi Arabia | $135.6 billion |
South Korea | $127.8 billion |
Mexico | $100.8 billion |
Germany | $97.7 billion |
Rest of World | $1,589 billion |
Foreign ownership data is compiled monthly by the U.S. Treasury, which says it relies mostly on U.S.-based custodians and that because securities held in custody accounts may not be attributed to the actual owners, the data may not provide a precise account of individual country ownership of Treasuries.
Total U.S. debt is $35.5 trillion and it has been rising.
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