Prime Highlights-
- Saudi Arabia remains the Middle East’s top holder of US Treasury securities.
- Japan leads global rankings with a record $1.143 trillion in Treasury holdings.
Key Facts-
- Saudi Arabia ranks 17th globally with $140.3 billion in Treasury holdings.
- Total foreign holdings of US Treasuries hit a record $9.37 trillion.
Background-
Saudi Arabia slightly increased its holdings of US Treasury securities to $140.3 billion at the end of May, compared with $140.1 billion a month earlier, according to the latest data from the US Treasury Department.
The Kingdom ranked 17th among major foreign holders of US Treasuries, positioned behind Brazil at $168.9 billion and ahead of South Korea at $132.3 billion.
Saudi Arabia’s position remains among the largest in the Middle East, ahead of the UAE, which held $118.6 billion. The Treasury International Capital report offers one of the clearest monthly snapshots of global demand for US government debt, tracking holdings by foreign governments and investors.
The data is widely monitored as an indicator of international capital flows, reserve management strategies and confidence in the world’s largest sovereign bond market.
The May figure marked a monthly increase of $200 million, or about 0.1 percent, while holdings rose $12.6 billion from $127.7 billion in May 2025. The US Department of the Treasury said foreign investors recorded net purchases of $132.2 billion in US securities in May.
After including adjustments such as estimated foreign portfolio acquisitions of US stocks through stock swaps, overall net foreign purchases of long-term securities are estimated to have reached $232.7 billion during the month.
Japan remained the largest foreign holder of US Treasury securities in May, with $1.143 trillion, followed by the UK at $948.6 billion and mainland China at $659.3 billion. Total foreign holdings of US Treasuries stood at $9.37 trillion, up from $9.35 trillion in April.
Saudi Arabia’s treasury holdings form part of its broader reserve position, which stood at $486.3 billion at the end of May and rose to approximately $494.55 billion at the end of June.
