The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) reported that the combined spending of United States, Russia, China, France, United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel reached $119 billion in 2025, marking a 19% increase from 2024.
ICAN noted that this is the highest annual nuclear weapons expenditure recorded since it began tracking in 2020, underscoring what it describes as an accelerating global arms buildup.
United States Widens Lead as Largest Nuclear Spender
The United States remained by far the dominant spender, allocating $69.2 billion to nuclear weapons in 2025 alone. That figure exceeds the combined spending of all other nuclear-armed states.
Its nuclear budget also rose by 22% year-on-year, the largest increase among all nine countries. ICAN attributed the surge to Washington’s simultaneous expansion of overall military spending and ongoing efforts to rebuild and modernise its nuclear arsenal.
In ICAN’s words, “The U.S. is increasing military spending in general as well as rebuilding nuclear arsenal.”
China, United Kingdom, and Russia Compete for Second Tier
The China ranked second, increasing its nuclear expenditure by 7% to $13.5 billion, reflecting steady expansion of its strategic capabilities.
A notable shift occurred in Europe and Eurasia, where the United Kingdom overtook the Russia to become the third-largest nuclear spender. British spending rose by 17% to $12.6 billion, while Russia’s expenditure increased more modestly by 6% to $9.5 billion.
The reshuffling highlights how investment patterns are changing among traditional nuclear powers, particularly as Europe responds to heightened security concerns linked to the war in Ukraine and broader geopolitical tensions.
Smaller Nuclear Powers Continue Steady but Rising Investment
Other nuclear-armed states—including India, Pakistan, North Korea, France, and Israel—also maintained or increased spending, contributing to the overall global rise.
While their individual budgets are significantly smaller than those of the United States or China, their collective investments add momentum to what ICAN describes as a widening global reliance on nuclear deterrence.
ICAN Warns of Escalating Arms Race
ICAN, which won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize, continues to advocate for the total elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide. The organisation argues that the rising financial commitment to nuclear arsenals diverts resources from urgent global needs such as healthcare, education, and climate resilience.
By 2025, ICAN says the trend is unmistakable: more money is being channelled into nuclear deterrence than at any point in recent history, signalling a deepening global dependence on weapons of mass destruction rather than disarmament.