International investors now hold a historic share of US equities, underscoring global capital’s preference for traditional markets over digital assets amid geopolitical and currency sensitivities.
International investors now own a record slice of US equities, underscoring how deeply global capital remains tied to Wall Street even as digital assets struggle to attract comparable foreign interest.
The US Treasury said in its latest survey that foreign portfolio holdings of American securities reached $35.349 trillion at the end of June 2025, including $19.860 trillion in equities. A preliminary Treasury release published earlier this year put the equity figure at $19.843 trillion, while Bloomberg reported in February that non-US investors bought a net $720.1 billion of US stocks in 2025, up 134% from the previous year. (home.treasury.gov)
That scale means overseas investors now hold close to 18% of all US equities, a level not seen in modern records. The rise reflects both fresh buying and the effect of higher share prices on existing holdings, with Treasury noting that foreign holdings of US equities increased by about $3 trillion from 2024 to 2025. (ticdata.treasury.gov)
The money is not spread evenly. Advanced economies such as the UK, Canada and Japan account for much of the exposure, while many emerging-market investors continue to favour US debt rather than riskier equity positions, according to Treasury’s country breakdowns. The broader picture is that foreign capital now represents a large share of non-US investors’ American financial assets, giving the US market the benefits of deeper liquidity but also greater sensitivity to currency moves, geopolitical shocks and policy changes abroad. (home.treasury.gov)
What stands out in this latest wave is not just the size of the flows, but what they are not buying. Despite the record allocation to US shares, there is still little evidence that foreign sovereign or institutional investors are making meaningful allocations to crypto assets. In practice, the capital pouring into American equities has yet to spill into digital markets in anything like the same scale.
- https://cryptobriefing.com/foreign-investors-record-us-stock-ownership/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0482 – The U.S. Department of the Treasury released the final results from the annual survey of foreign portfolio holdings of U.S. securities as of June 30, 2025. The survey revealed that foreign holdings of U.S. securities reached $35.349 trillion, with $19.860 trillion in U.S. equities, $13.840 trillion in U.S. long-term debt securities, and $1.649 trillion in U.S. short-term debt securities. This marked an increase from the previous year, indicating a growing foreign interest in U.S. financial assets.
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026/02/18/foreign-buying-of-us-stocks-jumps-134-in-2025-despite-tariffs – Bloomberg reports that foreign investors purchased a net $720.1 billion in U.S. stocks in 2025, a 134% increase from the previous year. This surge occurred despite market uncertainties caused by tariffs and other economic factors, highlighting sustained foreign confidence in U.S. equities.
- https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/04/11/foreigners-own-nearly-30-trillion-in-us-stocks-and/ – The Motley Fool discusses the significant presence of foreign investors in U.S. financial markets, noting that they own nearly $30 trillion in U.S. stocks and bonds. This substantial investment underscores the global appeal and trust in the U.S. financial system.
- https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2026/02/20/foreign-buying-of-us-stocks-jumps-134-in-2025 – The Star reports on the sharp increase in foreign purchases of U.S. stocks, which climbed to $720.1 billion in 2025, up 134% from the previous year. This trend challenges the ‘Sell America’ sentiment and reflects strong foreign confidence in the U.S. market.
- https://ticdata.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/tic/Documents/shlprelim.html – The U.S. Department of the Treasury provides preliminary data from the June 2025 benchmark survey of foreign portfolio holdings of U.S. securities. The data indicates that foreign holdings of U.S. securities as of June 30, 2025, were $35.334 trillion, with $19.843 trillion in U.S. equities, $13.839 trillion in U.S. long-term debt securities, and $1.652 trillion in U.S. short-term debt securities.
- https://phemex.com/news/article/foreign-investors-set-record-with-6468-billion-in-us-stock-purchases-40911 – Phemex News reports that foreign investors set a record by purchasing $646.8 billion in U.S. equities over the 12 months ending September 2025. This marks a 66% increase from the previous peak in 2021, highlighting a significant shift in global capital flows towards U.S. assets.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on June 2, 2026, which is recent. However, the data it references pertains to June 30, 2025, and September 2025, which are over six months old. This significant time gap raises concerns about the freshness of the information presented. Additionally, the article cites a preliminary report from February 27, 2026, and a final report from April 30, 2026, both from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The reliance on these reports suggests that the article may be summarizing existing data rather than providing new insights, which could affect its originality.
Quotes check
Score:
6
Notes:
The article does not include any direct quotes. While this avoids potential issues with misattribution or misquotation, the lack of direct quotes also means that the information cannot be cross-verified through attributed statements, which limits the ability to assess the accuracy and reliability of the claims made.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The article is published on CryptoBriefing.com, a platform that focuses on cryptocurrency news and analysis. While it references official data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the platform’s primary focus on digital assets may influence its interpretation and presentation of financial data. This potential bias should be considered when evaluating the reliability of the information.
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The claims made in the article align with known trends in foreign investment in U.S. equities. The figures cited are consistent with data from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. However, the article’s assertion that international investors now hold roughly 18% of all U.S. equities, a record share not seen since at least 1945, is a significant claim. While plausible, it would benefit from direct citations to the specific data points to enhance credibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents data on foreign investment in U.S. equities, referencing official reports from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. While the information is plausible and the content type is appropriate, the reliance on a single source and the significant time gap between the data and publication date raise concerns about freshness and source independence. The lack of direct quotes and independent verification further limits the ability to fully assess the accuracy and reliability of the claims made. Therefore, while the article passes the fact-checking criteria, it does so with medium confidence due to these concerns.