Show Notes
In this clip, Matthew explores who really holds America’s $36.2 trillion in federal debt—and how that balance has shifted over time. He breaks down the data as of March 2025, showing that: The Federal Reserve holds 18% of U.S. debt—down from 28% at its COVID-era peak. Foreign ownership has declined from its 2011 peak of 35% to just 23% today. The remainder—60% of U.S. debt—is now owned by Americans themselves. Matthew highlights the historical trends behind these shifts, noting that foreign and Fed ownership hit a peak in 2014, when only 42% of the debt was held by U.S. private institutions and individuals. Now, that domestic share has rebounded, thanks in part to pension funds, retirement accounts, and institutional investors stepping in. This episode challenges the common claim that “we owe it to ourselves,” showing that this was not true a decade ago, but increasingly is now. It’s a subtle yet powerful shift in the foundation of American finance. Chapters: 00:00:11 - Evaluating US Federal Debt in 2025 00:00:47 - Fed's Debt Monetization Trends 00:02:07 - Safe Haven Assets in Economic Fear 00:02:40 - American Ownership of Debt Analysis 00:03:29 - Trends in American Debt Ownership Porkopolis Economics covers macroeconomics, money, and sports from the creator of the Crypto Voices podcast, Matthew Mezinskis. Show Sponsor: Debifi - https://debifi.com/ Donations to Porkopolis Economics via BTCPay are appreciated: https://donate.basemoney.world/i/9Y1RzT4cp3y8VEYhjEKkwi Host: Matthew Mezinskis https://porkopolis.io Twitter: https://x.com/crypto_voices?lang=en Show content is not investment or financial advice in any way. #federalreserve #debt #unitedstates
