X (Twitter) User Statistics 2025–2026: How Many People Use X?

Key X (Twitter) User Stats at a Glance (2025–2026)

Because X is privately held, it no longer publishes consistent,
comparable platform-wide MAU/DAU figures.

The most reliable public “size” signals come from two places: (1) the last official
monetizable daily active users (mDAU) X reported while it was still
Twitter, and (2) X’s advertising audience (“potential reach”)
shown in its ad planning tools.

Here are the numbers editors can cite confidently (with the metric
clearly labeled):

  • Last official daily active figure (mDAU): 237.8M** (Q2 2022, when Twitter was still public).
  • X ad audience potential reach: 586M* (January 2025, from X’s own ad planning tools; not the same as “active users”).
  • Gender split (ad audience): ~63.7% men / 36.3% women** (January 2025).
  • Largest countries by ad audience:** United States (~104M), Japan
  • (~70.9M), India (~27.3M), United Kingdom (~23.1M), Brazil (~21.9M) (January 2025).

Tip for editors: when you say “X has X users,” always add (metric + date) in the same sentence (e.g., “X’s ad tools show a potential audience of 586M in Jan 2025”).

X (Twitter) Statistics: User Demographics and Numbers

X (Twitter) is one of the largest social media platforms in the world. With over 619 million monthly active users worldwide, it is no surprise that it is also a very influential platform.

In 2023, Elon Musk bought Twitter and changed its name to X. While Twitter’s acquisition was seen as a controversial move at the time, X continues to show growth and changing trends in its user base.

Understanding key Twitter statistics is useful for both casual Twitter users and marketers, as the social media platform is an ideal environment for businesses who want to implement a content marketing strategy.

X (Formerly Twitter) User Statistics

This section will cover demographic and behavioral differences within X (Twitter) usage for a more comprehensive image of the platform.

Understanding general social media statistics will provide marketers a better perspective of how X as a platform compares to other rival sites.

Global User Base

X (Twitter) is one of the top social media platforms in the world. A large portion of Twitter’s user base is active on both a daily and monthly basis, with the distribution of users differing from country to country.

Total Number Of Active Users Worldwide (MAU + mDAU)

X is privately held, so it doesn’t publish consistent “monthly active users (MAU)” figures the way most public social platforms do. The last official daily usage figure it reported (back when it was Twitter) was 237.8 million monetizable daily active users (mDAU) in Q2 2022.

For a more current sense of platform size, many marketers use X’s advertising audience (“potential reach”) from its ad planning tools. That estimate was 586 million in January 2025 but it’s an ad-reach metric, not the same as “active users.”

Social Media Platforms by Monthly Active Users (2024)

Users in Millions

X Users Over Time (Why the Numbers Don’t Always Match)

If you’re comparing “X users” across sources and getting wildly different totals, you’re not doing anything wrong — you’re seeing different metrics.

  • Before Oct 2022 (public company era): Twitter reported mDAU in quarterly results (daily users who could be served ads). The last reported number was 237.8M mDAU in Q2 2022.
  • After Oct 2022 (private company era): X has shared fewer standardized usage metrics. Most “user count” headlines now come from advertising reach estimates (what X says you could reach with ads) or from third-party measurement panels.

A practical way to track changes year to year is to use the same metric consistently. For example, X’s own ad tools showed a potential ad audience of 586M in Jan 2025, which was down by 33M (-5.3%) vs. Jan 2024. That doesn’t automatically mean total users fell by the same amount — it means X’s reachable ad audience estimate changed.

Bottom line: for trend reporting, pick one metric (mDAU, ad reach, or third-party MAU estimates), stick to it, and always label it clearly.

Daily And Monthly Active Users

Countries With The Highest Number Of Users (By ad reach / potential
audience)

These “country user counts” come from X’s advertising audience estimates (the people you can potentially reach with ads) — not
verified totals of active accounts. Based on X’s own ad planning tools (January 2025), the largest X ad audiences include:

  • United States: ~104 million
  • Japan: ~70.9 million
  • India: ~27.3 million
  • United Kingdom: ~23.1 million
  • Brazil: ~21.9 million

Because this is an ad-reach metric, the list and totals can shift as X updates its audience modeling. Always cite the date + metric alongside the number.

User Demographics

The demographics of X (Twitter) users are an important part of the platform’s usage statistics because they can affect a content marketing plan’s effectiveness and advertising revenue spending efficiency.

Age Distribution of X (Twitter) Users in 2024

Share of users by age group

Age Distribution Of X Users

The primary user age group on X is 25 to 34 years old, comprising 36.6% of all users.

This is closely followed by the 18 to 24 age range at 34.2%, which means that the average user belongs to the Gen Z and Millennial age groups.

X remains popular with younger users due to its enduring image as a thought-sharing platform.

Gender Distribution Of X Users

The majority of X (Twitter) users are male, making up 63.1% of users, or more than half. In contrast, female users make up only 36.9% of X (Twitter) usage.

This disparity in gender can affect the target audience or social network that any marketer or business owner wants to connect with to grow their business.

Education And Income Levels Of X Users

User Behavior

The behavior of X users worldwide includes topics like:

  • The average time spent daily
  • What type of device they use to access the platform
  • The distinction between users who actively tweet versus those
  • who primarily consume

Average Time Spent On X Per Day (Time spent in app + web)

In October 2023, X CEO Linda Yaccarino said the average user spends more than 32 minutes per day on X (self-reported).

X hasn’t published an updated time-spent series since, so treat this as a point-in-time benchmark, not a current audited average.

Percentage Of Users Accessing X Via Mobile

The amount of internet users who access X (Twitter) using the iOS/Android app skyrocketed to 80% in 2022, compared to 20% of desktop users.

This shift in consumer behavior can be leveraged by marketers. For example, it can influence a marketing campaign to primarily target mobile users with vertical video ads instead of desktop-focused horizontal ones.

Users Who Tweet Daily vs. Content Consumers (X, 2024)

Share of respondents by daily tweeting frequency

Users Who Tweet Daily Vs. Content Consumers

X (Formerly Twitter) Usage Statistics

After analyzing user statistics above, the following section will discuss stats like tweet volume, engagement, hashtag use, and how influencers on X affect the overall landscape of the social media platform.

X Account & Content Stats (What You Can Measure in Analytics)

This article focuses on platform-level stats (like ad-audience
reach and reported daily users). But if you’re here for your own account stats, X’s analytics are the source of truth for performance
metrics such as:

  • Impressions (how many times your posts were shown)
  • Engagements (likes, reposts, replies, link clicks, video views, etc.)
  • Engagement rate (engagements ÷ impressions) – Profile visits and follower changes

Access and depth can vary by product tier and rollouts. In 2024, reporting indicated X was rolling out an updated analytics experience with deeper audience insights for Premium subscribers. If you don’t see an Analytics option, check whether your account and plan
currently have access.

Editor note: when writing “X account stats,” be explicit about which of these you mean:

  • Platform stats (overall user counts / reach)
  • Account stats (your post performance)
  • Content stats (per-post impressions/engagement)

Tweet Volume And Engagement

Number of Tweets Sent on X (2024)

A hierarchical view of tweet volume

Number Of Tweets Sent Per Day

There are around 500 million tweets sent out per day. On a smaller scale, this means there are nearly 6,000 tweets sent out per second!

Average Number Of Tweets Per User Per Day

The average user in 2016 tweeted around 4.2 times per day.

In contrast, the average total number of tweets per user was 100 tweets or below, with only a comparatively small number of users racking up higher numbers.

Tweet Engagement Rates (Likes, Retweets, Replies)

Hashtag Usage And Trending Topics

Hashtags on X (Twitter) have typically been used as a quick way to jump into a popular topic or conversation between other users.

Understanding how they affect reach and engagement is crucial to crafting an effective content strategy.

Most Popular Hashtags And Topics

The most popular hashtags and trending topics on X will depend on the region you’re in and what day, week, and month you are accessing the platform on.

Popular hashtags in July 2024 include #RIPCartoonNetwork with 83.7 thousand posts, while Popular topics include Lewis Hamilton (an F1 driver) and House of the Dragon (a TV series).
In general, the most popular hashtags and topics at any given time will include things like the following:

  • Current events
  • Pop culture
  • Popular entertaining content
  • Promoted tweets
  • Social activism

Impact Of Hashtags On Reach And Engagement

Hashtags are a surefire way to get a tweet noticed by users who do not follow an account, but may follow a specific topic or hashtag.
Twitter stats show that tweets with hashtags get twice as much engagement as those that do not.

However, be sure to not include too many hashtags, as studies show that tweets with 3 or more hashtags get 21% less engagement than those with 1-2 hashtags.

Verified Accounts, Influencers, and Premium Subscribers

Number Of Verified Accounts

Since 2023, verification on X has been closely tied to paid subscriptions (X Premium), and the meaning of the blue check has changed from the earlier “identity verification” program.

X doesn’t publish a current verified-account total, so treat any “verified accounts” number you see online as an estimate unless it’s clearly sourced and dated.

Most Followed Accounts And Their Influence

The most followed accounts on X include a wide range of people, from X’s current owner Elon Musk to political leaders, popular musicians, and sports icons.

Here are the top 10 most followed X accounts.

  1. Elon Musk: 189 million followers
  2. Barack Obama: 131 million followers
  3. Cristiano Ronaldo: 112 million followers
  4. Justin Bieber: 110 million followers
  5. Rihanna: 108 million followers
  6. Katy Perry: 106 million followers
  7. Narendra Modi: 99 million followers
  8. Taylor Swift: 95 million followers
  9. Donald Trump: 87 million followers
  10. Lady Gaga: 83.2 million followers

While the majority of these premium users are from the US, Cristiano Ronaldo and Narendra Modi stand out as representative of the influence and popularity of athletes and politicians, respectively.

X (Formerly Twitter) For Business And Marketing

X (Twitter) is not only used to tweet, retweet, and connect with friends, but is also a platform for marketers to reach out to their target audience.

Small businesses who don’t know where to start can hire a social media agency to handle their X account and improve its reach and engagement.

Business Presence On X

Businesses, whether they are large corporations or smaller start-ups, typically have accounts on X for multiple reasons.

Some use the platform to market to customers, while other businesses use it for different strategies.

Percentage Of Businesses Using X For Marketing

Most Successful Brand Accounts And Strategies

One of the most successful brand accounts is Wendy’s. Their X account is well known for primarily interacting with other users and brand accounts in humorous ways.

For example, their official account is known for reacting to tweets from McDonald’s and Hardees by making fun of them, which would amuse X users and encourage more to follow their account.

Wendy’s currently has 3.7 million followers on X, with its unique strategy allowing them to post both interaction-first tweets and promotional content with these tweets still feeling organic to followers.

Advertising On X

Besides the brand accounts on X, there are businesses that utilize ad spend on Twitter ads to reach more users.

This is a win-win for both X and the business, as it generates revenue for X while generating leads.

Twitter/X Advertising Revenue (2017–2027)

Actual vs. Projected revenue in billion U.S. dollars

Actual Projected

Total Advertising Revenue (Estimates)

Twitter reported $4.73B in ad revenue in 2022 (pre-privatization). X doesn’t publish comparable annual revenue figures now, so newer totals are third-party estimates.

EMARKETER forecasts ~$2.3B global ad revenue in 2025 (about $1.3B in the U.S.).

Average Cost Per Engagement For X Ads

The primary draw of Twitter for businesses are the monetizable monthly active users. These users are defined as those who have physically logged in, but aren’t “bot,” or fake, accounts.

Despite the risk of advertising to active bot accounts, X’s base of over 200 million daily active users is still promising for businesses and brands who wish to interact more with their target market.

To reach X’s monetizable monthly active users, the average cost per engagement is around $0.26 to $0.50 for the first interaction on an ad and $1.01 to $2 for each follow on a promoted account.

Effectiveness Of Different Ad Formats

Customer Engagement And Service

Many brands and businesses use X as a channel for customer communication. The platform is specifically used for customer service and other concerns.

Consumer Reactions to Brand Contact on X (Twitter)

Percentage of consumers and their reaction

Positive Neutral/Negative

X As A Platform For Customer Interaction

Around 82% of consumers strongly prefer brands contacting them in response to a complaint tweet, which can potentially lead to repeat purchases and increased brand satisfaction.

Best Practices For Customer Service On X

Quick response time is one of the best implementable practices for a brand’s social media strategy.

Replying quickly makes the customer feel like their complaint is taken seriously.

Another good customer service strategy is to use X’s direct messaging feature. This is especially useful when asking for potentially personal or sensitive info from a customer to help resolve an issue.

X (Formerly Twitter) And Its Societal Impact

Whether you are part of the over 200 million daily active users, or a marketer who uses the platform to earn, there is no denying that X is a highly influential platform that can affect fields like pop culture, society, and politics.

X And Politics

X is used by many government offices and can function similarly to a customer support role. However, there are many politicians and pundits who use the platform to spread their personal beliefs and messages.

Distribution of Tweets by U.S. Adults: Political vs. Non-Political

Comparison by Age Group (2024)

Influence Of X On Political Discourse

Use Of X By Politicians And Government Officials

X is no stranger to politicians and government officials using it to connect with their constituents. To provide an example, the second most followed account after Elon Musk is former US President Barack Obama.

One plausible reason for this is the large number of Americans on X, which makes it a cheap and efficient platform for reaching out to constituents.

Impact Of X On Elections And Political Campaigns

X was a very active site for political discourse in the months leading up to both the 2016 and 2020 elections, with a study from Princeton University finding that X slightly hurt former President Donald Trump’s vote shares in both elections.

Even in the months leading up to the 2024 elections, X has featured plenty of political discourse.

X As A News Source

Apart from the political sector, X also has a strong foothold in the media sector. Many of X’s daily active users rely on the platform for up-to-date news consumption.

Reasons U.S. Users Use X (Twitter) for News – 2024

Percentage of users by reason

Key Insight: 65% of U.S. users rely on X for news to some extent (Major + Minor reasons).

Source: Pew Research Center, March 2024 — “How Americans Get News on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram”

Percentage Of Users Relying On X For News

Speed And Spread Of News On X

A study conducted from 2019 to 2021 showed that news consumers on X got their news faster and spread between circles faster than real time news from the radio.

Challenges Of Misinformation And Fake News On X

While there are many advantages to the lightning-quick speed of information and news transfer on X, the spread of fake news is an unfortunate downside.

Three MIT scholars found that fake news spreads on the platform three times faster than real news. One of the major reasons for this is people quickly retweeting a story that ends up being false.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about X (Twitter) marketing statistics, demographics, and trends with these quick questions.

How many monthly active users does X (Twitter) have?
How many users are on X (Twitter) in India?
What does mDAU mean on Twitter/X?
How many people subscribe to X Premium?
What Is The Difference Between Daily Active Users And Monthly Active Users On X?
How Has The Recent Name Change From Twitter To X Affected User Engagement?
Which Industries Have The Highest Engagement Rates On X?
How Does X Compare To Other Social Media Platforms In Terms Of User Demographics?
What Are Some Best Practices For Businesses Looking To Increase Their Reach On X?

Conclusion

Ready to Leverage Social Media to Connect with Your Audience?