According to @StockMKTNewz, the S&P 500 paid a record $78.92 in dividends in 2025, a 5.5% increase from 2024 (source: @StockMKTNewz, X, Jan 7, 2026). The index has posted 16 consecutive annual dividend increases, with reported totals of $74.83 in 2024, $70.30 in 2023, and $66.92 in 2022 (source: @StockMKTNewz, X, Jan 7, 2026). For trading, the updated cash distribution run-rate provides a concrete benchmark for equity income screens and cross-asset yield comparisons that crypto traders monitor alongside BTC and ETH risk sentiment (source: @StockMKTNewz, X, Jan 7, 2026).