According to data from the US Department of the Treasury released on October 30, 2026, and reported by Business Insider Africa, American holdings of foreign debt securities totaled $4.03 trillion at the end of 2025, an increase of nearly $300 billion compared to 2024. The data was compiled in coordination with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Federal Reserve Board.
Total American overseas portfolio investments reached $19.26 trillion at the end of 2025, up from $15.82 trillion in 2024. Foreign equities accounted for $15.23 trillion of this figure, with bonds and other debt instruments comprising the remaining $4.03 trillion. Canada, the Cayman Islands, and the United Kingdom represented the largest individual destinations for American-held debt securities, with holdings of $606 billion, $566 billion, and $465 billion, respectively.
In the Middle East, American investors held $50.66 billion across Israel ($18.24 billion), the United Arab Emirates ($16.94 billion), and Saudi Arabia ($15.48 billion). Holdings in the UAE consisted of $12.11 billion in long-term debt and $4.83 billion in short-term securities, while Saudi Arabia's total comprised $14.30 billion in long-term bonds and $1.18 billion in short-term debt.
The report also documented the bilateral debt dynamic between the United States and China. At the end of 2025, China held $684.4 billion in US government debt, compared with $18 billion in Chinese debt securities owned by American investors.
Sources
- Business Insider Africa · 2026-11-10
