Global defense spending
Every indicator on this dashboard is now live and source-linked. SIPRI reports world military expenditure reached $2,887 billion in 2025, up 2.9% in real terms over 2024 — its 11th consecutive year of growth — and NATO reports that all 32 allies met or exceeded the 2%-of-GDP defence-spending guideline in 2025, up from three in 2014. These are annual figures, manually maintained from each body's published reporting; this dashboard is not real-time and does not forecast or attribute single causes. Coverage across Warconomy as a whole remains partial, but on this dashboard each row carries its own source, asOf period, and last-reviewed date.
- SIPRI reports world military expenditure reached $2,887 billion in 2025 (live/source-linked).
- Up 2.9% in real terms over 2024 — the 11th consecutive year of growth.
- NATO reports all 32 allies met the 2%-of-GDP guideline in 2025, up from three in 2014 (live/source-linked).
- Annual figures, manually maintained from SIPRI and NATO; not real-time.
- Reported alongside many factors; not a causal attribution.
Latest indicators
Rows tagged “live · source-linked” are manually maintained from a cited public source on an annual cadence (not real-time); rows tagged “sample” are illustrative and pending source-linked replacement.
Live/static indicators are manually maintained from cited public sources and are not real-time. Sample rows remain labeled.
| Indicator | Value | As of | Source | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global military expenditure | 2,887 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Global military expenditure — real-terms change | 2.9 %live · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| NATO defense spending (share at/above 2% GDP) | 32 allieslive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | North Atlantic Treaty Organization | Medium |
| Country military expenditure | 954 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 336 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 190 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 114 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 92.1 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 89 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 84.1 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 83.2 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 68 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
| Country military expenditure | 62.2 USD billionlive · source-linked | December 31, 2025 | Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | High |
Source-linked facts
SIPRI reports world military expenditure reached US$2,718 billion in 2024, a 9.4% increase that was the steepest year-on-year rise since at least 1988 — the predecessor point to the 2025 total.
SIPRI reports that world military expenditure rose for the eleventh consecutive year in 2025, continuing a sustained multi-year increase.
SIPRI reports the top three spenders — the United States, China, and Russia — spent a combined US$1,480 billion in 2025, about 51% of the global total.
SIPRI reports the five biggest spenders in 2025 — the United States, China, Russia, Germany, and India — together accounted for 58% of world military spending.
Methodology
Indicators are organized from reputable annual sources (SIPRI for global totals; NATO for the allied 2%-of-GDP count). Each value is a live/static figure transcribed from the publisher's own reporting and carries an asOf period and a last-reviewed date. The dashboard reports levels and direction only, on an annual cadence, and avoids causal attribution. NATO's 2% guideline has since been supplemented by a higher longer-term investment commitment; figures may be revised in later releases.
What changed recently
A dated change log for this dashboard, not news.
- DataPromoted the NATO 2%-of-GDP allies count to live/source-linked (all 32 allies in 2025). The dashboard is now fully source-linked alongside the SIPRI global total and its real-terms change.
- DataAdded live/source-linked SIPRI world military expenditure 2025 ($2,887 billion) and its 2.9% real-terms change.
- EditorialInitial sample dashboard published.
Data confidence & limitations
The SIPRI global total and its real-terms change are source-linked annual figures (high confidence, but annual estimates can be revised). The NATO 2%-of-GDP allies count is a source-linked annual figure (medium confidence; an estimate NATO revises in later releases).
Limitations
- Annual cadence — figures are not real-time and may be revised by SIPRI or NATO in later releases.
- Country definitions and national accounting practices for military expenditure can vary.
- The NATO count reflects the 2% guideline, which has since been supplemented by a higher longer-term commitment.
- Not a forecast and not a causal attribution.
Sources
| Source | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| SIPRI — Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2025 | Academic | www.sipri.org/publications/2026/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-world-military-expenditure-2025 |
| NATO — Defence expenditure of NATO countries | Intergovernmental | www.nato.int/en/what-we-do/introduction-to-nato/defence-expenditures-and-natos-5-commitment |
| SIPRI — Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2024 | Academic | www.sipri.org/publications/2025/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-world-military-expenditure-2024 |
How to cite this page
Cite this page:
Warconomy. "Global defense spending." Warconomy, last updated June 5, 2026. https://warconomy.com/dashboards/defense-spending
Replace with your style guide’s format as needed, and add the date you accessed the page. Underlying figures retain their original sources’ terms.