U.S. National Debt Tops $39 Trillion — China Holds About $693 Billion Story by Donnell Ballard The United States now owes a total of roughly $39 trillion in gross national debt, a record high that crossed the milestone in mid-March 2026. Of that massive total, China holds about $693 billion in U.S. Treasury securities, according to the latest official Treasury data through February 2026. That makes China one of the largest foreign creditors, but far from the biggest holder overall. Beijing has been steadily reducing its exposure to U.S. debt. China’s holdings have fallen by roughly 50% from their peak of more than $1.3 trillion in 2013, dropping to a 17-year low. In 2025, China fell to third place among foreign holders, behind Japan and the United Kingdom. Despite China’s sales, total foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries reached a record $9.36 trillion, as Japan and the UK increased their positions. The $39 trillion national debt includes all federal borrowing, not just what foreign countries like China hold. For Fort Worth and households across the country, that $39 trillion works out to about $289,000 per household or $114,000 per person. At the same time, China’s share of U.S. debt has shrunk to about 7.3% of total foreign-held Treasuries—the smallest share since 2001. This shift reflects a long-term strategic move by China to diversify away from the dollar and into assets like gold, while the U.S. continues to borrow at a pace of about $5 billion per day.