A recent report from market intelligence firm Similarweb reveals a significant milestone in the ongoing rivalry between text-based social platforms. For the first time, Threads has overtaken X (formerly Twitter) in terms of daily active users (DAUs) on smartphone applications globally.
As of January 7, 2026, the data shows a clear divergence:
Threads: 141.5 million daily active users.
X: 125 million daily active users.
The Two-Pronged Momentum
Analysts attribute this shift to two primary factors. First is the ongoing "User Exodus" from X, driven by continuous controversies and policy changes under its current leadership. Second is Meta’s aggressive cross-platform marketing. Threads has leveraged the massive ecosystems of Facebook and Instagram, utilizing highly visible "Recommended Posts" to funnel billions of potential users into installing the Threads app.
Where X Still Holds the Crown
Despite the surge in Threads' mobile usage, X remains a dominant force in several key areas:
Desktop Dominance: On the web (desktop/browser version), X’s traffic continues to dwarf Threads by more than ten-fold. X remains the preferred platform for real-time news and professional desktop usage.
- The U.S. Market: In the United States, X still maintains a higher user base than Threads. However, the report warns that this gap is narrowing rapidly as Threads gains domestic momentum.
Although Threads surpasses X in terms of user numbers, X still performs better in terms of time spent (average time per user). This is because X's algorithm focuses on discussions and breaking news, keeping users engaged in the app longer.
Threads also has a brand safety advantage for advertisers, allowing it to offer higher marketing budgets, while X is transforming into "The Everything App," integrating payment systems and video.
Part of Threads' success stems from its launch in the European Union (EU) after successfully resolving privacy legislation, providing a large user base that helped drive its numbers ahead of X.
Currently, we're seeing a trend of "Creative Migration," with more text-based influencers moving to Threads due to its stricter moderation system, which reduces the problem of toxic content compared to X.
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At TechCrunch
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