HOW MUCH IS THE USA GOVERNMENT WORTH?

This will shock you.  Companies are doing well, but the U.S. government?  Corporations valued at $1 trillion or more are:

• Nvidia at $4.5 trillion
• Alphabet  $4.1 trillion
• Apple a$3.9 trillion
• Microsoft  $3.1 trillion
• Amazon  $2.6 trillion
• Meta  $1.8 trillion
• Broadcom  $1.6 trillion
• Tesla  $1.6 trillion
• Berkshire Hathaway  $1 trillion

That was not a shock, but how many of you knew that Nvidia was #1?  I asked Google AI, how much is the U.S. government worth.

While corporations like Apple, Microsoft, and Walmart are valued by their market capitalization (total stock value), the U.S. government is not valued in the same way. Instead, its financial standing is measured by total assets versus total liabilities.

 

As of the 2024 Financial Report of the U.S. Government:

• Total Assets: The federal government held approximately $5.7 trillion in assets, which includes cash, student loans, and property.
• Total Liabilities: The federal government had over $45.5 trillion in liabilities, primarily federal debt held by the public and employee/veteran benefits.
• Net Position: This results in a negative net position of approximately -$39.9 trillion as of September 30, 2024. 

Key Takeaways:

• The Debt vs. Value Gap: While trillion-dollar companies are valued based on future earnings, the U.S. government operates with a net debt, largely because its "valuation" does not account for its power to tax or its immense natural resources, focusing instead on financial assets.
• National Debt: The gross federal debt surpassed $37 trillion in 2025.
• Revenue vs. Spending: In FY 2025, the government collected $5.23 trillion in revenue but spent $7.01 trillion, creating a $1.78 trillion deficit. 

In short, the U.S. government is not "worth" a positive dollar amount in the same way a company is; it operates with a negative net position based on physical assets, but with a massive, unique, and non-calculated asset in the form of its taxing power. 

What about China?

While individual U.S. companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia are worth over $3–$4 trillion each as of early 2026

, the Chinese government controls assets worth orders of magnitude more, with state-owned enterprise (SOE) assets alone totaling over $50 trillion by the end of 2023. 

Because China operates under a state-led economic model, the value of the "government" is intertwined with the national economy. Here is a breakdown of the value under control of the Chinese government based on recent data: 

1. State-Owned Enterprise (SOE) Assets 

The Chinese government holds a controlling stake in the majority of its largest companies. 

• Total SOE Assets: As of the end of 2023, the assets of Chinese state-owned enterprises totaled 371.9 trillion yuan ($52.37 trillion).
• Financial SOE Assets: Financial institutions owned by the state were valued at an additional 445.1 trillion yuan ($64.215 trillion).
• Administrative Assets: Assets in government administrative departments and public institutions reached 64.2 trillion yuan. 

2. National Net Worth (Public Sector)

According to a report presented to Chinese lawmakers, the net assets of China's public sector (assets minus liabilities) amounted to approximately 184 trillion yuan ($25 trillion) by the end of 2023. 

3. Key Government Financial Metrics (2024–2025)

• Foreign Exchange Reserves: As of December 2025, China held roughly $3.358 trillion in foreign exchange reserves, the highest in the world.
• Annual Fiscal Revenue: In 2024, China's national general public budget revenue reached RMB 24.5 trillion ($3.4 trillion).
• Treasury Holdings: As of early 2025, China held approximately $784 billion in U.S. treasury securities. 

Comparison to US Tech Companies

• Total Market Cap Comparison: In mid-2024, the combined market value of Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple surpassed the entire Chinese stock market.
• Context: While US tech giants have massive market capitalization (investor-driven valuation of shares), the Chinese government controls massive total asset value(hard assets, infrastructure, and ownership of companies).   

Does that mean the U.S. government is worth around MINUS $40 trillion?  Apparently, yes.  China?  This is a bit more complicated.  Asked Google AI again.  Here is a breakdown of the financial positions as of late 2025:

U.S. Government Financial Position (Negative Net Worth)

Massive Debt/Liabilities: By September 2024, the U.S. federal government had a negative net position of approximately -$39.9 trillion.

• Total Debt: As of January 2026, the gross national debt exceeded $38 trillion.
• Negative Net Position: This negative valuation occurs because federal liabilities (debt held by the public, social security/Medicare obligations) significantly exceed federal assets (loans, infrastructure, etc.).
• Context: While the government's balance sheet is negative, the total net wealth of the U.S. economy (households and non-profits) remains the highest in the world, over $176 trillion by late 2025. 

Chinese Government Financial Position (High Asset/High Debt)

• State-Owned Assets: The Chinese government maintains a unique, state-led model where the state owns vast amounts of land and assets. By late 2025, total assets of China's central state-owned enterprises exceeded 95 trillion RMB(roughly $13 trillion+).
• Net External Assets: As of June 2025, China’s external financial net assets (assets minus liabilities) totaled $3.8 trillion.
• Debt Challenges: While China's central government has strong reserves, the total debt in the Chinese economy (including local government, corporate, and household) has risen rapidly, exceeding 300% of GDP in 2025.
• Relative Worth: While the Chinese government has a higher, positive asset-to-liability ratio for state-owned enterprises compared to the US federal government, it is facing its own, massive hidden debt liabilities within local government financing vehicles (LGFVs). 

Summary Comparison

Metric (2025 Data)	U.S. Federal Government	Chinese Government/SOEs
Net Position	Negative (Liabilities > Assets)	Generally Positive (High Assets)
Total Debt	>$38 Trillion	>300% of GDP (Total System)
Key Assets	Government property, Gold, Loans	SOEs, Land, Foreign Reserves

Conclusion: The U.S. government is indeed "in the red" (negative net worth), but this does not mean the country is "worthless" or bankrupt—it is a sovereign issuer of debt. The Chinese government has a positive, multi-trillion dollar asset base, but both governments face severe, long-term debt sustainability challenges. 

What does that final paragraph mean?  Not so sure.  It is pretty certain, though, that the U.S. education system has fallen, significantly.  Again, from Google AI:

The U.S. education system consistently ranks in the 

middle-to-lower tier of developed nations, specifically underperforming in mathematics compared to peers. While ranking around 13th-16th in science and in the top 10 for reading, 2022 PISA data shows the U.S. at 34th-37th in math, often trailing countries like Singapore, China, and Canada. 

Is this a danger sign?  Not necessarily.  When I wrote the education chapter of my SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity, I came to a personal conclusion that only 5% of any public or private entity make the important decisions.  Much of the rest of the organization should be loyal followers.  You don't need everything highly educated to succeed.  You do want the very best to be superior, with a system that works.  U.S. companies have become the best through an education system that has regressed over the past half a century

I can traipse through the many ways the USA has lost world leadership, from infrastructure (have you seen what many countries in the Orient are doing??) to even something like safety.  Now, U.S. cities are showing up in world surveys:

From Google AI:

Top 10 Most Dangerous U.S. Cities (2025/2026 Rankings):

1. Memphis, TN
2. Oakland, CA
3. St. Louis, MO
4. Baltimore, MD
5. Detroit, MI
6. Alexandria, LA
7. Cleveland, OH
8. Little Rock, AR
9. Kansas City, MO
10. Stockton, CA 

Finally, in comparing China with the USA, did you know we are about the same geographical size?  About 3.7 million square miles each.  The U.S. is larger when coastal/territorial waters are included, while China is larger by land area alone.  Incidentally, Russia is #1 with 6.59 square miles and Canada #2 with 3.85 million square miles.

China has 1.41 million people, and is #2 to India with 1.47 billion.  The U.S. has 348 million at #3.  Russia is #9 with 144 million people.

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