Apple owns US$52.6 billion in U.S. Treasury securities, putting Apple’s stake in U.S. debt ahead of all but a few entire countries, according to CNBC. It also makes Apple a real mover in the global economy, and it’s a powerful symbol of how important Apple is becoming.
Apple owns this debt in the form of U.S. Treasury securities, meaning bills, notes, and bonds. These are debt obligations, which means you’re loaning money to the United States for a specified period of time.
Investing in the Federal Government
According to InvestingBonds.com, debt obligations such as securities are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the government, which makes them the safest of all investments. As of 2009, the amount of U.S. Treasury securities is about US$7.3 trillion—that number is much higher now.
Having a high amount of securities carries significant financial and diplomatic weight, and the top 25 investors in the U.S. is as follows—notice that Apple is the only corporation on this list:
- Japan: $1.1113 trillion
- China: $1.1022 trillion
- Ireland: $295.8 billion
- Brazil: $269.7 billion
- Cayman Islands: $266.1 billion
- Switzerland: $239.5 billion
- United Kingdom: $234.4 billion
- Luxembourg: $207.7 billion
- Hong Kong: $196.3 billion
- Taiwan: $181.2 billion
- Saudi Arabia: $134.0 billion
- India: $127.3 billion
- Russia: $108.7 billion
- Singapore: $107.9 billion
- Korea: $100.1 billion
- Belgium: $98.7 billion
- Canada: $80.2 billion
- France: $74.4 billion
- Germany: $68.3 billion
- Thailand: $66.5 billion
- Bermuda: $60.9 billion
- United Arab Emirates: $60.5 billion
- Apple: $52.6 billion
- Netherlands: $52.2 billion
- Turkey: $49.5 billion
Based on this list, Apple is the biggest company out of Silicon Valley to have an impact on the world economy like this. The Cupertino company has a market cap of US$830 billion, and is on track to become the world’s first trillion dollar company.
geoduck, I just got done cashing in my Series EE savings bonds for my oldest daughter’s first semester of college expenses. In hindsight, given the interest rates I would have done MUCH better if I had invested in the market when I was buying the bonds, but hey I’ve got a semester of college paid for now at Purdue University before I have to dig into my 529. Also should allow for a nice MacBook for her to start school with… Not sure if it is worth the money for the touch bar or not. Seems nice, but is it worth it?
Geoduck, it won’t be long before faith is renewed.
We have some years of Savings Bonds. We’re cashing them in as fast as we can without causing tax issues. To be honest I don’t have a lot of faith in the “full faith and credit” of the US government.