Fannie Mae Tops Global Debt Chart with $4.21 Trillion Liabilities
A new ranking of the world’s most indebted companies has revealed staggering debt levels among major financial and corporate institutions. Fannie Mae, an American mortgage giant, holds the highest corporate debt at $4.21 trillion—more than the GDP of several large economies. The list also features Chinese banks, US financial firms like JPMorgan Chase and PNC Bank, and a prominent Indian conglomerate.
Fannie Mae leads the ranking with $4.21 trillion in debt, a figure comparable to India’s entire GDP. The company’s liabilities surpass the economic output of countries like the UK, France and Brazil. Freddie Mac, another US housing finance giant, follows closely with $3.349 trillion in debt.
Among the top five, two Chinese banks appear: Agricultural Bank of China ($494.86 billion) and China Construction Bank ($479.33 billion). JPMorgan Chase, the largest US bank, ranks third with $496.55 billion in debt. BNP Paribas, the only European entry in the top six, holds $473.67 billion in liabilities.
The seventh to tenth positions are occupied entirely by Chinese banks and one Canadian institution. ICBC sits at seventh with $445.05 billion, followed by Bank of China ($400.70 billion), CITIC Limited ($386.79 billion), and Royal Bank of Canada ($377.70 billion). Outside the top ten, AbbVie, a US pharmaceutical firm, has accumulated over $66 billion in debt, largely due to acquisitions aimed at offsetting patent losses.
In India, Reliance Industries stands out as the most indebted company, carrying $230.79 billion in loans—equivalent to Rs 20,80,792 crore.
The figures highlight how debt is used by large corporations to fund growth, acquisitions, and operations. While borrowing can drive expansion, mismanagement poses risks to financial stability. The scale of these liabilities underscores the influence of major banks and mortgage firms like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on global markets.
