Meta’s Threads Silently Outsmarts Elon’s X, Leaves Musk Talking to Himself
Photo by Rich Smith on Unsplash
KEY POINTS
- •Meta's Threads reached 141.5 million daily active global mobile users on January 7th, 2026.
- •Similarweb data shared by TechCrunch shows Threads overtook Elon Musk’s platform X between late October and early November after steady growth.
- •Despite Threads’ global lead, X retains more mobile users than Threads in the United States.
After patiently simmering for nearly three years, Meta's Threads finally stealthily snagged 141.5 million daily active mobile users worldwide by January 7th, 2026, overtaking Elon Musk’s X, which lags behind at 125 million users according to cheeky data from Similarweb shared by TechCrunch. The twist? Threads didn’t pull an overnight stunt amid recent AI deepfake Wiggles drama at X, growing steadily since late October and early November. While Threads may own the global ring, it turns out they haven’t cracked the American code yet, where X still flexes more mobile users. Drama? Subtle. Winners? Clear-ish.
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Source: Theverge | Published: 1/19/2026 | Author: Jess Weatherbed
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