The US Treasury publishes the government’s total debt every business day. This ranks each step from $19 trillion to $40 trillion by how many days it took to add that trillion, from the 28 days between $24 and $25 trillion in 2020 to the 588 days between $19 and $20 trillion, and shows bitcoin’s price change over each step.
Data as of · 22 steps, Jan 2016 to Aug 2026 · total public debt outstanding from Treasury’s Debt to the Penny (latest record Oct 27, 2026: $40.58 trillion) · bitcoin daily closes (UTC)
| Rank | Debt reached | First reported | Days since previous trillion | Bitcoin that day | Bitcoin over the step | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $25 trillion | May 5, 2020 | 28 | $9,003 | ▲ +25.5% | 2020 |
| 2 | $26 trillion | Jun 9, 2020 | 35 | $9,796 | ▲ +8.8% | 2020 |
| 3 | $30 trillion | Jan 31, 2022 | 46 | $38,483 | ▼ −19.3% | 2022 |
| 4 | $38 trillion | Oct 21, 2025 | 71 | $108,477 | ▼ −8.6% | 2025 |
| 5 | $33 trillion | Sep 15, 2023 | 92 | $26,609 | ▲ +4.0% | 2023 |
| 6 | $34 trillion | Dec 29, 2023 | 105 | $42,099 | ▲ +58.2% | 2023 |
| 7 | $27 trillion | Oct 1, 2020 | 114 | $10,619 | ▲ +8.4% | 2020 |
| 8 | $36 trillion | Nov 21, 2024 | 118 | $98,505 | ▲ +45.0% | 2024 |
| 9 | $39 trillion | Mar 17, 2026 | 147 | $73,922 | ▼ −31.9% | 2026 |
| 10 | $28 trillion | Mar 1, 2021 | 151 | $49,631 | ▲ +367.4% | 2021 |
| 11 | $40 trillion | Aug 18, 2026 | 154 | $64,681 | ▼ −12.5% | 2026 |
| 12 | $24 trillion | Apr 7, 2020 | 159 | $7,176 | ▼ −22.0% | 2020 |
| 13 | $21 trillion | Mar 15, 2018 | 188 | $8,301 | ▲ +96.3% | 2018 |
| 14 | $35 trillion | Jul 26, 2024 | 210 | $67,912 | ▲ +61.3% | 2024 |
| 15 | $31 trillion | Oct 3, 2022 | 245 | $19,624 | ▼ −49.0% | 2022 |
| 16 | $32 trillion | Jun 15, 2023 | 255 | $25,576 | ▲ +30.3% | 2023 |
| 17 | $23 trillion | Oct 31, 2019 | 262 | $9,200 | ▲ +152.2% | 2019 |
| 18 | $37 trillion | Aug 11, 2025 | 263 | $118,731 | ▲ +20.5% | 2025 |
| 19 | $29 trillion | Dec 16, 2021 | 290 | $47,665 | ▼ −4.0% | 2021 |
| 20 | $22 trillion | Feb 11, 2019 | 333 | $3,648 | ▼ −56.0% | 2019 |
| 21 | $19 trillion | Jan 29, 2016 | 427 | $379.47 | ▲ +0.8% | 2016 |
| 22 | $20 trillion | Sep 8, 2017 | 588 | $4,229 | ▲ +1,014.4% | 2017 |
First reported = the first business day on which Treasury’s total public debt outstanding was at or above the line.1 For eight of the lines in the table the total was later reported back below them on some business days, most often the $39 trillion line, which was first met on Mar 17, 2026 and reported below on 35 later business days; the table uses the first crossing. Days since previous trillion = calendar days between first crossings. Bitcoin that day = UTC daily close on the first-reported date; over the step = that close ÷ the close on the previous line’s date, minus 1.2 Bitcoin fell over 8 of the 22 steps. Observed facts, not a forecast.
The federal government borrows by selling Treasury securities, and the total it owes changes every day with new borrowing, repayments and the cash needs of the government. The series used here is the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s daily total.1 Some analysts link rising government debt to the “debasement” idea that money loses purchasing power; this page only records dates, debt levels and prices. For annual deficits see how US budget deficits have lined up with bitcoin, and for the central bank’s balance sheet, the Fed balance sheet and bitcoin.
Total public debt outstanding first reported at or above $25 trillion on May 5, 2020, at $25.058 trillion.1 That was 28 days after the $24 trillion line was first reached on Apr 7, 2020.1 Over those days bitcoin’s UTC close went from $7,176 to $9,003, up 25.5%.2 The two dates are single data points, and the move between them includes everything else that happened in that span.
Total public debt outstanding first reported at or above $26 trillion on Jun 9, 2020, at $26.004 trillion.1 That was 35 days after the $25 trillion line was first reached on May 5, 2020.1 Over those days bitcoin’s UTC close went from $9,003 to $9,796, up 8.8%.2 The two dates are single data points, and the move between them includes everything else that happened in that span.
Total public debt outstanding first reported at or above $30 trillion on Jan 31, 2022, at $30.012 trillion.1 That was 46 days after the $29 trillion line was first reached on Dec 16, 2021.1 Over those days bitcoin’s UTC close went from $47,665 to $38,483, down 19.3%.2 The two dates are single data points, and the move between them includes everything else that happened in that span.
Total public debt outstanding first reported at or above $38 trillion on Oct 21, 2025, at $38.020 trillion.1 That was 71 days after the $37 trillion line was first reached on Aug 11, 2025.1 Over those days bitcoin’s UTC close went from $118,731 to $108,477, down 8.6%.2 The two dates are single data points, and the move between them includes everything else that happened in that span.
Total public debt outstanding first reported at or above $33 trillion on Sep 15, 2023, at $33.045 trillion.1 That was 92 days after the $32 trillion line was first reached on Jun 15, 2023.1 Over those days bitcoin’s UTC close went from $25,576 to $26,609, up 4.0%.2 The two dates are single data points, and the move between them includes everything else that happened in that span.
Total public debt outstanding first reported at or above $34 trillion on Dec 29, 2023, at $34.001 trillion.1 That was 105 days after the $33 trillion line was first reached on Sep 15, 2023.1 Over those days bitcoin’s UTC close went from $26,609 to $42,099, up 58.2%.2 The two dates are single data points, and the move between them includes everything else that happened in that span.
Total public debt outstanding first reported at or above $27 trillion on Oct 1, 2020, at $27.027 trillion.1 That was 114 days after the $26 trillion line was first reached on Jun 9, 2020.1 Over those days bitcoin’s UTC close went from $9,796 to $10,619, up 8.4%.2 The two dates are single data points, and the move between them includes everything else that happened in that span.
Total public debt outstanding first reported at or above $36 trillion on Nov 21, 2024, at $36.035 trillion.1 That was 118 days after the $35 trillion line was first reached on Jul 26, 2024.1 Over those days bitcoin’s UTC close went from $67,912 to $98,505, up 45.0%.2 The two dates are single data points, and the move between them includes everything else that happened in that span.
tot_pub_debt_out_amt), one value per business day, retrieved 2026-10-29 through the Fiscal Data API (latest record Oct 27, 2026: $40.58 trillion).For information only. Not financial advice. See the terms of use.