Global spending on nuclear weapons reached a record $119 billion in 2025 [1].
The surge indicates a continuing nuclear arms race and a shift toward heightened deterrence postures among the world's most powerful militaries. This financial escalation suggests that diplomatic efforts to reduce nuclear stockpiles are being overshadowed by modernization and expansion programs.
According to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the nine nuclear-armed states saw total expenditures rise by approximately 19 percent [4]. This represents an increase of $16.8 billion over the previous year [3].
The United States led the spending, allocating $69.2 billion to its nuclear arsenal in 2025 [2]. The U.S. budget remains the largest single contribution to the global total, reflecting ongoing efforts to update its triad of land-based, sea-based, and air-based delivery systems.
Over the last five years, the combined spending of these nine nations has reached $471 billion [6]. This long-term trend highlights a sustained commitment to nuclear capabilities despite international treaties aimed at disarmament.
The report, released in June 2026, underscores the financial scale of global deterrence strategies. While specific breakdowns for other nations were not detailed in the primary summary, the overall trend shows a synchronized increase in funding across the nuclear-armed community [1].
“Global spending on nuclear weapons reached a record $119 billion in 2025”
The record-breaking expenditure reflects a geopolitical shift where nuclear deterrence is prioritized over disarmament. By spending nearly $120 billion annually, nuclear-armed states are signaling a long-term commitment to arsenal modernization, which may increase the risk of accidental escalation or a renewed arms race between superpowers.
