DHOTUS (Debt Holders Of The United States)

Who are the top-ten holders of U.S. debt (in the form of U.S. Treasuries)?

1.  Federal Reserve and IntraGovernmental Holdings ($4.8 Trillion)

2.  Mutual Funds/ Money Market (769 Billion)

3.  China (740 Billion)

4.  Japan (635 Billion)

5.  State and Local Governments (523 Billion)

6.  Pension Funds (456 Billion)

7.  Other (individuals, trusts, brokers, etc)  (413 Billion)

8.  Oil Exporting Countries (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, etc.) (186 Billion)

9.  Off-shore Caribbean Banks (177 Billion)

10.  Brazil (134 Billion)

Foreign Governments in italics.

Numbers from CNBC.

The Top Ten hold $8.8 Trillion of an estimated $11.1 Trillion in total U.S. debt.  Notice that China and Japan combined only hold slightly more than 10% of U.S. Treasuries.  So...China has to worry about fluctuations in the U.S. dollar...and tries to exert influence to maintain its investment...but there are plenty of other countries and institutions begging to lend the U.S. money in their flight to an investment safe haven!