Foreign Investors Set Record With $646.8 Billion in US Stock Purchases Amid Shifting Global Capital Flows

A powerful and unusual wave of global capital is rushing into US markets. Foreign investors are buying American equities at a record pace, Treasury demand is reshuffling at a structural level, and domestic inflows are accelerating into year-end.

At the same time, US consumer debt has hit its highest level in history. For crypto and equity investors, the scale and direction of these flows signal a major shift in risk appetite and global macro positioning.

Foreign Investors Drive Record Equity Buying Amid Historic Realignment in Treasury Ownership

Private investors outside the US purchased $646.8 billion in US equities in the 12 months ending September 2025, according to data cited by Yardeni Research.

This marks the highest level on record, surpassing the 2021 peak by 66%, with flows doubling since January.

The buying is not limited to US equities. Foreign private-investor purchases of US Treasuries totalled $492.7 billion in the same period. Rolling 12-month non-US buying of Treasuries has remained above $400 billion for four consecutive years, reflecting persistent global demand for dollar-denominated safety.

“Everyone wants US assets,” analysts at the Kobeissi Letter remarked.

The composition of foreign Treasury holders is shifting in ways not seen in decades:

• China’s share of foreign Treasury holdings has fallen to 7.6%, the lowest in 23 years, and down 20% over 14 years.
• The UK’s share has quadrupled to 9.4%, near its highest level on record.
• Japan, still the largest foreign holder, now accounts for 12.9%, down 26 points over the last 21 years.

These shifts suggest a long-term repositioning of sovereign and private capital, a trend with direct implications for interest rates, liquidity, and market volatility.

Domestic Investors Also Going Risk-On, But Record Consumer Debt Adds Complexity

US investors have poured an extraordinary $900 billion into equity funds since November 2024, according to JPMorgan data, with half of that total, $450 billion, arriving in just the last five months.

Fixed-income funds added another $400 billion, while all other asset classes combined attracted only $100 billion.

Inflows into US equities have exceeded those into all other asset classes combined, reinforcing the strength of the bid for US risk assets.

While institutional and foreign investors are ramping up their exposure, US households are under growing financial pressure. Total US credit-card debt climbed to $1.233 trillion in Q3 2025, the highest level ever recorded.

This divergence between market optimism and consumer strain raises questions about sustainability, earnings resilience, and the timing of potential policy shifts.

Seasonality and Bullish Projections Lift Sentiment

JP Morgan expects the S&P 500 to reach 8,000 next year, a view reinforced by powerful seasonal tailwinds. This projection comes as markets anticipate the bank’s “everything rally” forecast shared just over a week ago.

December has historically been the strongest month for US stocks, with the S&P 500 rising 73% of the time since 1928 and delivering an average return of +1.28%.

For both crypto and equity markets, the surge in capital flows toward the US signals rising confidence in American assets, or a lack of attractive alternatives abroad.

Investors will watch to see whether these inflows accelerate in 2026, how Treasury demand shifts as global holdings rebalance, and whether record consumer debt becomes a drag on macroeconomic momentum.

With liquidity building and seasonality strengthening, both traditional markets and digital assets are entering a potentially decisive phase.