US leads world in nuclear weapons spending as global cost hits $119 billion

A report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) shows that the nine nuclear‑armed states collectively spent about $119 billion on their arsenals in 2025, a rise of 19 % over the previous year. The United States accounted for the largest share, allocating $69.2 billion – more than the combined spending of all other nuclear powers.

China spent $13.5 billion, Russia $9.5 billion, the United Kingdom $12.6 billion, France $10 billion, India $2 billion, Pakistan $1.7 billion, Israel $1.2 billion and North Korea $0.66 billion. The total equates to roughly $3,768 per second. ICAN warns the surge fuels a renewed arms race and highlights the opportunity cost, noting that the daily expenditure could feed millions of people.

The record spending underscores heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing modernisation programmes across the nuclear powers, raising concerns about global stability and the allocation of public resources.