US leads record rise in spending on nuclear arsenals, campaign group says

The 19% increase from 2024 produced the highest expenditure on nuclear weapons since the group began tracking spending

Spending on nuclear weapons by the world's nine nuclear-armed states rose by almost a fifth in 2025 to $119 billion, a report by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons said on Tuesday.

The 19% increase from 2024 produced the highest expenditure on nuclear weapons since the campaign group began tracking the annual nuclear arms expenditure of the US, Russia, China, France, Britain, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel in 2020.

· The US spent $69.2 billion, more than all other nuclear states combined, and saw largest increase, at 22%.

· US is increasing military spending in general as well as rebuilding nuclear arsenal, ICAN says.

· China came second, increasing by 7% to $13.5 billion.

· Britain overtook Russia to become third-biggest spender, up 17% to $12.6 billion. Russia spent $9.5 billion, increase of 6%.

· 2017 Nobel Peace laureate ICAN seeks total elimination of nuclear weapons.