**Nuclear Weapons Spending Surges to Record High of $119 Billion, Report Reveals**
Global expenditures on nuclear weapons reached an unprecedented $119 billion in 2025, according to a report released by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) on June 9, 2026. This figure marks an increase of $16.8 billion compared to the previous year, highlighting a significant escalation in the financial commitments of the world’s nine nuclear-armed nations.
The United States led the way in nuclear spending, allocating an estimated $69.2 billion—more than the combined total of all other nuclear states. This represents an increase of $12.6 billion from the previous year. Following the U.S. in spending were China, which invested approximately $13.5 billion, and the United Kingdom, with expenditures of $12.6 billion. Russia and France followed with $9.5 billion and $7.7 billion, respectively. Other nuclear-armed countries, including India, Pakistan, Israel, and North Korea, spent between $656 million (North Korea) and $2.8 billion (India).
Over the past five years, the total spending by nuclear-armed states has reached $471 billion. ICAN's report emphasizes that these countries plan to maintain and modernize their nuclear arsenals for decades to come. The organization criticized this trend, stating that such substantial investments occur at a time when nations are reducing their contributions to global public goods, including climate change initiatives and diplomatic efforts to prevent conflict.
ICAN's report coincides with warnings from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which noted that nuclear states are increasingly neglecting their commitments to nuclear disarmament in favor of enhancing their arsenals. The report underscores a growing concern among nonproliferation advocates that the focus on modernizing nuclear capabilities undermines global security efforts.
The nine nuclear-armed states collectively possess over 12,000 nuclear warheads, with the majority held by the United States and Russia. Despite the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons by the United Nations in 2017—an agreement that prohibits the development, testing, and acquisition of nuclear weapons—no nuclear-armed nation has signed the treaty. Currently, 99 countries have signed, ratified, or acceded to the treaty, but the absence of participation from nuclear states raises questions about the effectiveness of international disarmament efforts.
Historically, the United States and Russia engaged in a series of treaties aimed at limiting their nuclear arsenals since the early 1990s. However, the last of these agreements, known as New START, expired in February 2026 without a successor agreement in place, further complicating the landscape of nuclear arms control.
The findings of ICAN's report and the SIPRI warnings reflect a critical moment in global security, as the world grapples with the implications of rising nuclear expenditures amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions. The stark contrast between the funding of nuclear arsenals and investments in global stability raises urgent questions about priorities in national and international security policies.