According to a report by peace organizations PAX and ICAN, the number of financial institutions significantly exposed to the nuclear weapons industry has decreased by approximately a quarter since the U.N. treaty took effect in 2021. The report reveals that 73 states have ratified the treaty.
Alejandra Muñoz Valdez, senior project officer at PAX, commented to Reuters that the number of financial institutions involved with the nuclear weapons industry has continued to decline since 2021, a positive trend in her view. She highlighted that many companies have implemented policies restricting investments in nuclear weapons, inspired by the 2021 treaty, even in countries that have not yet ratified it.
Despite this progress, around 260 financial institutions, including banks and pension funds, still have ties to nuclear weapons through investments in shares, bonds, loans, or underwriting debt, as stated in the report.
Muñoz Valdez emphasized the destructive nature of nuclear weapons, stating, "We think these are weapons of mass destruction, the most destructive weapons ever created, with devastating consequences should they ever be used. So we think all investors should stay away from the companies that produce them."