Threads Reaches 150 Million Daily Active Users, Challenges X

Meta’s Threads has reached a significant milestone, climbing to 150 million daily active users—a 50% increase from the 100 million announced in December. This growth underscores the platform’s momentum as a viable competitor to X, particularly among users seeking alternatives after Elon Musk’s controversial changes to the platform formerly known as Twitter.

AI Recommendations Drive Engagement

The surge in daily actives correlates with Meta’s enhanced AI recommendation engine. Users are spending considerably more time on Threads, with engagement jumping 10% according to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The platform has addressed one of its primary weaknesses: irrelevant content recommendations based on Instagram activity. Threads chief Connor Hayes revealed that the Instagram engagement graph now plays a lesser role in algorithm decisions, with new topic tags and community features helping surface conversation-driving posts.

Market Opportunity in Short-Form Social

Threads’ rapid expansion reflects genuine market demand for a Twitter alternative. With 400 million monthly active users, Threads is closing the gap on X’s reported 600 million monthly actives and 250 million daily users. Industry analysts note X’s daily usage may be declining, strengthening Threads’ positioning as the category leader for short-form, text-based social platforms.

Meta is capitalizing on this momentum by rolling out new monetization features. Threads ads are now available globally, with new video ad formats launching soon. Meta CFO Susan Li emphasized the platform’s advertising potential, signaling aggressive expansion plans.

As Meta continues refining its algorithm and feature set, Threads appears well-positioned to capture additional market share in the competitive social media landscape.