Warren Buffett Owns 5% of All U.S. Treasury Bills

Warren Buffett Owns 5% of All U.S. Treasury Bills

ByFinancian Team
·2 min read

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Now Owns Nearly 5% of All U.S. Treasury Bills—More Than the Fed


Berkshire Hathaway, led by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, has accumulated $300.87 billion in U.S. Treasury bills—nearly 5% of the total market for short-term government debt—according to its latest financial disclosure.

By March 2025, the total value of the U.S. Treasury bill market was $6.15 trillion, meaning Buffett controls nearly 1 in every 20 dollars of short-term government debt.


Larger Than the Fed


Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway now holds more U.S. Treasury bills than the Federal Reserve, with its portfolio totaling $300.87 billion compared to the Fed’s $195 billion in Treasury securities. This highlights Berkshire’s defensive strategy, with over 90% of its $334 billion cash reserves invested in short-term government debt.

According to the company’s latest quarterly SEC filing, the holdings include $14.4 billion in T-bills classified as cash equivalents—those maturing in under three months—and $286.47 billion in short-term investments directly tied to Treasury bills.


As stock markets pull back from recent highs and trillions in market value have been lost this year, many investors are looking to Warren Buffett for signals on when to re-enter riskier assets. For now, the Oracle of Omaha remains on the sidelines, waiting for what he calls the “fat pitch”—a clear and compelling value opportunity.

Even tech giants like Apple are playing the T-bill game, though on a much smaller scale.


Alex Morris, the author of "Buffett and Munger Unscripted", said Warren’s size limits his options. “His opportunity set is pretty small,” Morris said.

Berkshire’s market value is over $1 trillion, which means even billion-dollar deals barely register.


Buffett’s approach isn’t driven by fear but by discipline. By holding such a large share of Treasury bills, he’s prioritizing flexibility and readiness over chasing short-term gains. In a market filled with noise and speculation, his strategy sends a clear message: sometimes, the smartest move is to wait.