According to CoinMeta, U.S. national debt has for the first time exceeded $40 trillion, a figure that came much earlier than most budget forecasters anticipated. In less than a decade, U.S. national debt has almost doubled, and the current rate of borrowing has surpassed tax revenues, leading to a national crisis that affects every corner of the economy. The increase in national debt means that the burden on everyone is also increasing; it is estimated that interest payments this year will exceed $1 trillion, setting a new historical high.