Dynamic monitoring of suspended sediment in rivers has important application values for channel changes, safe operation of water conservancy projects, ecology, and environmental protection. Real-time remote sensing technology can monitor suspended sediment in sizeable regional river water bodies. Compared to large bodies of water such as oceans and lakes, remote sensing of suspended sediment in rivers has received less attention. Existing research has primarily focused on estuarine areas where rivers enter the sea. This study systematically summarizes published data sources and models of satellite remote sensing of suspended sediment in rivers worldwide to fully utilize the advantages of multi-source satellite remote sensing data with different temporal, spatial, and spectral resolutions and to realize remote sensing monitoring of suspended sediment transport in a broader area and at different river levels. The difficulties and challenges of satellite remote sensing of suspended sediments in rivers are discussed. On this basis, the future development of remote sensing monitoring of suspended sediment in rivers has been viewed from three perspectives: removing atmospheric correction of the proximity effect, concentration on remote sensing considering suspended sediment particle size distribution, and three-dimensional remote sensing of suspended sediment transport flux.