Zuckerberg revels in Threads' advancing rivalry with X
Meta's Threads Platform Surpasses 400 Million Active Users, Challenging Twitter's Dominance
In a significant development in the social media landscape, Meta's Threads platform has reached an impressive milestone of 400 million active users, according to recent reports. Launched in July 2023, Threads, a text-centric social platform integrated with Instagram, has experienced rapid growth, surpassing 100 million users within five days of its launch and consistently growing since.
Initially described as a platform for discussions on various topics, from current to future interests, Threads has positioned itself as a calmer alternative to Twitter, originally launched in 2006 as X and now rebranded under Elon Musk's ownership. While X remains larger in overall monthly users, Threads is rapidly closing the mobile usage gap, with over 400 million monthly active users (MAUs) as of August 2025, compared to X's estimated 600 million MAUs.
Threads' growth can be attributed to its integration with Instagram, leveraging the platform's extensive user base for onboarding and network effect. The app has also added features such as Direct Messages (DMs), fediverse integrations, AI features, and advertisements starting early 2025.
However, Threads' success has not been without controversy. Critics argue that Threads is simply an "Instagram with text," and question its ability to establish its own identity beyond being a Twitter alternative. Conversely, X has faced significant controversies under Elon Musk's leadership, including drastic policy changes, content moderation looseness, subscription paywalls, and high-profile bans, which have polarized its user base and advertisers, contributing to a decline in daily mobile users.
Adam Mosseri, who leads Meta's Instagram app, acknowledged the milestone reached by Threads and mentioned that those working on the platform are aware of the need to continue growing the user base. Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, also celebrated the achievement of Threads reaching 400 million active users.
Despite the controversies, Threads has made adjustments to comply with data-sharing rules, among other policies in the EU, to address concerns regarding its tie-in with Instagram. However, regulators in countries such as Turkey have accused Threads of breaching data-sharing policies due to its association with Instagram.
As Threads continues to evolve with features like AI enhancements and fediverse interoperability, its monetization and revenue are becoming focal points. Threads' AI-driven advertising is helping Meta's ad revenue recovery, while X's monetization experiment faces mixed market responses.
In summary, Threads represents a fast-growing but still maturing platform challenging the mature but controversial X ecosystem. Threads provides an alternative to X, which continues to face scrutiny due to Elon Musk's recent involvement in politics. As Threads continues to grow and develop, it will be interesting to see how it navigates the challenges and opportunities ahead.
