US National Debt Approaches $38 Trillion, Increasing by $6 Billion Each Day

Investors are seeking refuge in safe-haven assets like Bitcoin and gold, as the US national debt approaches a staggering $38 trillion.

Currently standing at $37.9 trillion, America’s national debt has increased by $69,890 every second — or nearly $4.2 million each minute — over the last year, according to the debt dashboard of the US Congress Joint Economic Committee.

This accounts for an astonishing $6 billion daily, which is more than the gross domestic product of over 30 nations, as per data from Worldometer.

On Friday, US Representative Keith Self stated that the debt is expected to exceed $38 trillion in mere weeks, potentially reaching $50 trillion within the next decade, calling for urgent measures.

“Congress must act now — demand fiscal responsibility from your leaders before the gradual decline turns into a sudden collapse.”

At this pace, the US is anticipated to surpass $38 trillion in just 20 days.

Investors flock to Bitcoin and gold 

Last week, JPMorgan highlighted Bitcoin (BTC) and gold as the go-to assets amid rising uncertainty surrounding the dollar.

This announcement coincided with Bitcoin reaching a record high of $125,506 on Saturday, and gold hitting a new peak of $3,920 on Sunday.

Bitcoin’s capped supply and decentralized framework have garnered increased attention from institutional investors; even BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, once a critic of Bitcoin, suggested in January that it could reach $700,000 due to fears of currency debasement.

In July, Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund, advised that investors allocate 15% of their portfolios to hard assets like Bitcoin or gold to achieve the “optimal return-to-risk balance.”

It’s not just America, says Dalio

Dalio noted that other Western nations, including the UK, will face the same “debt doom loop” challenges, predicting that their currencies will continue to languish compared to Bitcoin and gold, which he regards as effective diversifiers.

Reuters reported last month that global debt reached a historic high of $337.7 trillion by the end of Q2 2025, driven by increased quantitative easing and a weaker US dollar, citing the Institute of International Finance.