Capital Flows Atlas

Countries · Americas

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are home to a large share of the world's hedge funds, so the investment recorded there belongs to investors around the world.

At a glance

Population, 202580k
GDP, 2024$7.80bn$104,293 per person
Real GDP growth, 2024+3.8%Inflation: −0.6%
Current account, 2024−8.8% of GDP−$0.7bn
Reserves incl. gold, 2025$0.30bn

Net inflows of foreign direct investment were $35.8bn in 2025, against an average of $10.5bn a year in 2015–2024. Investors based in Cayman Islands put a net $25.2bn into direct investment abroad in the same year, less than Cayman Islands received. Cayman Islands ran a current account deficit in every year shown, which means it relied on money from abroad. Investors in Cayman Islands held $463.0bn of US Treasury securities at the end of August 2026, +$52.5bn on a year earlier, and $2.70tn of US shares.

The US Treasury records Treasuries and US shares held through Cayman-domiciled funds under the Cayman Islands. The figures reflect global hedge fund activity, not local savings.

Cayman Islands's holdings of US securities

Treasuries, shares and bonds issued in the US and held by investors in Cayman Islands.

US Treasuries held, Aug 2026$463.0bn+$52.5bn on Aug 2025 · rank 6 of 76
US shares held, Aug 2026$2.70tn+$516.8bn on Aug 2025 · rank 1 of 76
All long-term US securities held, Aug 2026$3.59tnCorporate bonds: $557.2bn · agency bonds: $79.9bn
Net purchases, 12 months to Aug 2026+$294.4bn sharesTreasuries: +$77.8bn · corporate bonds: +$22.1bn

Holdings of US securities

End of month, Aug 2025 to Aug 2026, $bn.

Net purchases of long-term US securities

Each month, $bn. Positive means net buying.

The US Treasury records holdings by the country where securities are held in custody, which is not always the owner's country. Why this matters.

Direct and equity investment

Annual net flows, $bn. Direct investment means building or buying businesses; portfolio equity means buying listed shares and fund units.

Net flows by year

Direct investment into and out of Cayman Islands, and foreign buying of its shares, $bn.

Current account and reserves

The balance of trade and income with the rest of the world, and the reserves held by the central bank.

Current account balance

Each year, $bn. A surplus means the country lends to the rest of the world.

Foreign exchange reserves, including gold

End of year, $bn.

The economy

GDP

Current US dollars, $bn. Dollar figures also move with exchange rates.

Growth and inflation

Real GDP growth and consumer price inflation, per cent.

All figures

Annual figures from the World Bank, as published. Download them for every country on the data page.

Indicator20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Population (m)0.060.060.060.070.070.070.070.070.070.070.08
GDP ($bn)4.74.95.25.55.95.76.16.77.37.8—
GDP per person ($)76,37977,80280,05483,86688,25482,33986,45092,938100,065104,293—
Real GDP growth (%)2.83.23.24.33.9−5.04.95.75.83.8—
Inflation (%)−2.3−0.6—————————
Current account ($bn)—−0.71−0.87−0.93−0.65−0.92−0.79−0.75−0.71−0.69—
Current account (% GDP)—−14.4−16.9−16.8−10.9−16.3−13.1−11.3−9.7−8.8—
Reserves incl. gold ($bn)———0.20.20.20.20.20.20.30.3
Direct investment in ($bn)80.502.682.510.171.086.97−0.81−3.1412.093.1835.78
Direct investment out ($bn)71.05−0.04−0.021.43−0.67−1.89−2.32−0.771.10−1.7425.25
Portfolio equity in ($bn)—————0.020.010.010.010.03—
Remittances ($bn)—0.010.020.010.010.010.010.010.010.01—

The monthly read

A short email after each TIC release: where money moved, what changed among the big holders, and the charts that matter.

Subscribe on Substack

Sign-up and emails are handled by Substack.