InvestmentsTop Global NewsMarketsReal Estate COVID response drives US$24 trillion surge in global debt: IIF By financialnews_rlv83x - February 17, 2021 0 125 The COVID pandemic has added US$24 trillion to the global debt mountain over the last year a new study has shown, leaving it at a record US$281 trillion and the worldwide debt-to-GDP ratio at over 355per cent.