Spending on nuclear weapons reached an all-time high in 2025, with the United States, China and Russia accounting for a significant share of the global increase, according to a new report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) cited by News18.
The report found that the world's nine nuclear-armed states collectively spent nearly $119 billion on nuclear weapons last year, a 19 per cent increase compared to 2024. ICAN said the sharp rise reflects an accelerating effort by countries to modernise and expand their nuclear capabilities.
US remains the biggest spender
The United States continued to dominate global nuclear spending, allocating an estimated $69.2 billion to its nuclear arsenal in 2025. According to ICAN, that amount exceeded the combined spending of all other nuclear-armed nations and was $12.4 billion higher than the previous year.
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China ranked second with an estimated expenditure of $13.5 billion as it continued to expand its nuclear programme. The United Kingdom spent approximately $12.6 billion, while Russia allocated around $9.5 billion.
ICAN warned that a “new nuclear arms race is upon us" as nations invest heavily in both existing and future weapons systems.
Warhead numbers fall, operational readiness rises
A separate assessment by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) highlighted a changing nuclear landscape.
According to SIPRI, the global nuclear stockpile stood at 12,187 warheads at the start of 2026. However, around 9,745 of those weapons are considered operational or available for potential use, raising concerns about increasing readiness despite a long-term decline in total warhead numbers.
Long-term investments continue
The ICAN report noted that several countries are committing to decades-long nuclear modernisation programmes.
In the United States, the planned Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile programme is expected to remain in service beyond 2100. Expanded plutonium pit production also points to preparations for maintaining warheads well into the next century. ICAN estimates that US nuclear weapons spending could approach $1 trillion between 2025 and 2034.
Growing concerns over priorities
ICAN argued that the resources being directed toward nuclear weapons could have been used elsewhere. The organisation estimated that one day of global nuclear weapons spending could have funded food security support for more than two million people.
Susi Snyder, ICAN's programme director and co-author of the report, described the trend as alarming.
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“To be perfectly honest, I’m terrified," she told AFP.
“There seems to be a total disconnect from reality," she said.
FAQs:
Which country spent the most on nuclear weapons in 2025?
The United States led global spending with an estimated $69.2 billion, more than all other nuclear-armed nations combined.
How much did the world's nuclear-armed states spend in total?
The nine nuclear-armed countries collectively spent nearly $119 billion on nuclear weapons in 2025.
