According to the most recent figures released for 2024, global defense spending has climbed to 2.718 trillion USD, marking the highest level ever recorded. This surge represents a 9.4% annual increase, one of the sharpest rises since the end of the Cold War. Defense expenditures have now been increasing for ten consecutive years, accumulating to a total rise of approximately 37% over the decade. In 2024, the global military burden — the share of military spending in the world economy — reached about 2.5%.

A major driver of this trend is the rapid expansion of military budgets in Europe and the Middle East. Europe saw a 17% increase, reaching 693 billion USD, while geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts similarly pushed Middle Eastern defense spending upward. The world’s top five spenders — the United States, China, Russia, Germany and India — continue to dominate the global landscape, collectively accounting for nearly 60% of total defense expenditures. These data provide the clearest and most reliable picture of how global defense spending is shaping up as we move through 2025.