Meta's Threads Hits 500 Million Monthly Users, Ramping Up Pressure on X

Meta's Threads has reached 500 million monthly active users, establishing it as a significant competitor to X and a major new revenue stream.

This achievement was built on strategic feature rollouts like a developer API and trending topics, along with a global ad system launch that prepared the platform for monetization.

While Threads holds substantial revenue potential, its growth could be tempered by regulatory hurdles, particularly from the EU's Digital Markets Act.

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Meta has announced that its text-based platform, Threads, has successfully reached 500 million monthly active users.

This milestone is not a sudden event but the result of a deliberate, multi-year strategy. It was achieved through a series of carefully planned steps focused on building a robust platform before aggressively pursuing monetization. Let's break down how Threads got here.

First, Meta laid the groundwork for monetization. In January 2026, it began rolling out ads globally. This was a pivotal move, transforming the growing user count from a simple metric into a tangible, revenue-generating asset. By expanding ad availability throughout the first quarter, Meta ensured that when user numbers hit a critical mass, the system to profit from them was already in place.

Second, the platform focused heavily on improving the user and creator experience. Starting in mid-2024, Threads launched a series of crucial features. The API (Application Programming Interface) allowed developers and brands to integrate tools for scheduling posts and analyzing performance. Features like 'Trending Topics,' 'Topic Tags,' and 'Communities' made it easier for users to discover relevant content and conversations, increasing retention and making the platform 'stickier.'

Third, Threads built social proof and a distinct identity. A key turning point came in early 2026 when data showed Threads surpassing X in daily mobile users. This created a powerful narrative of momentum, attracting more creators and brands. Furthermore, Meta's 2024 decision to reduce proactive recommendations of political content helped position Threads as a less 'toxic' alternative, which likely appealed to a broader user base and made advertisers more comfortable.

Finally, this growth was built on a foundation of market expansion. The launch in the European Union in late 2023 was fundamental, opening the door to nearly 450 million potential new users.

With 500 million users, Threads is now a formidable player. Analysts estimate its potential annual revenue could be between $2.5 billion and $5.0 billion, making it a core pillar of Meta's business.

MAU (Monthly Active Users): A standard metric that counts the number of unique users who visit a site or app within a 30-day period.
API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules that allows different software applications to communicate with each other. For Threads, this lets brands use tools like Hootsuite to manage their accounts.
Fediverse: A collection of independent, interconnected social media servers. By connecting to it, Threads allows its users to interact with people on other platforms like Mastodon.