World Bank puts developing countries’ external debt at record $9.4trn

Developing countries' outer indebtedness has surged 5.5% to a grounds $9.4 trillion successful 2025, the fastest gait since 2021, according to the World Bank Group’s International Debt Report 2026.

The study noted that though entree to planetary concern has improved, the terms of concern has not, with indebtedness burdens successful the poorest nations threatening indispensable investments successful people.

External indebtedness grew 8.1% to $1.3 trillion successful the astir susceptible countries eligible for concessional financing from the World Bank's International Development Association, IDA.

World Bank Group Chief Statistician, Haishan Fu, observed that countries are borrowing more, paying more, and successful galore cases leaving little for semipermanent development.

"Managing indebtedness responsibly means giving everyone—including aboriginal generations—a accidental to thrive," said Haishan, the Director of Development Data.

As of August, implicit 10 nations had exceeded their full-year 2025 issuance, portion immoderate returned to planetary markets, arsenic low- and middle-income countries proceed to question enslaved financing contempt the precocious costs.

Such countries paid $1.4 trillion successful main and involvement successful 2025, up 1.9%, portion payments to bondholders climbed to $363 billion, partially reflecting indebtedness buybacks and prepayments financed done caller enslaved issues.

Between 2022 and 2025, processing countries paid $436 cardinal much successful indebtedness work than they received successful caller financing. However, nett indebtedness flows shifted successful 2025, signaling a ...