100+ X / Twitter Statistics & Facts That Will Surprise You (2026)

Formerly known as Twitter, X.com has become the talk of the town over the recent years. While a lot of people may call X.com the last bastion of free speech, it’s still quite difficult to tell whether users agree with Elon Musk’s direction for the company.

Regardless, we’ve compiled a list of over 100+ statistics, so that you can come to your own conclusion about whether Musk has done a good job since buying out the company.

Top Picks – Twitter / X Statistics 2026

1. Global Monthly Active Users: Twitter had 368.4 million monthly active users in 2022 but saw a decline to 335.7 million in 2024.
2. Largest Twitter Audience by Country: The U.S. leads with 106.23 million users, followed by Japan (69.28M) and India (25.45M).
3. Twitter’s Age Demographics: The largest user group is 25-34 years old (36.6%), followed by 18-24 years old (34.2%).
4. Gender Distribution: 60.9% of Twitter users identify as male, while 39.1% identify as female.
5. Time Spent on Twitter (U.S.): Users spend an average of 34.1 minutes per day on the platform, ranking below TikTok (53.8 min) and YouTube (48.7 min).
6. Twitter Traffic by Country: The U.S. accounts for 23.21% of Twitter’s global traffic, followed by Japan (16.06%) and the U.K. (5.51%).
7. U.S. Twitter User Growth: Twitter’s U.S. user base peaked in 2022 with 90.45 million users but dropped to 55 million in 2024.
8. Twitter vs. Other Social Platforms: Twitter has 611 million monthly active users, significantly less than Facebook (3.06B) and Instagram (2B).
9. Twitter’s Advertising Revenue: Peaked at $4.73 billion in 2022 before declining to $3.14 billion in 2024.
10. Twitter’s Declining U.S. Market Share: The percentage of the U.S. population using Twitter dropped from 27% in 2022 to 19% in 2024, reflecting a significant loss in engagement.

Global Twitter / X User Statistics

Twitter’s user base peaked in 2022, but Elon Musk has accused Twitter of inflating the real number before the acquisition to get a better deal.

Since Musk bought the company in April 2022, millions of people either left the platform or were banned / contrary to Elon’s message. In 2023, Twitter / X lost 14.5 million users and lost 18.2 million more by the end of 2024, showcasing a significant downward trend.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/303681/twitter-users-worldwide/

X Users by Country

The U.S. has the most amount of users at 106.23 million people followed by Japan and India at 69.28 and 25.45 million respectively.

Penetration rates however are fairly low across the board in most countries relative to other social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, but an anomaly is Hong Kong with over 100% per capita usage for X.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/242606/number-of-active-twitter-users-in-selected-countries/

X Users by Demographics

X is primarily used by Gen Z and millennials, with over 70.8% of users under the age of 35.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/283119/age-distribution-of-global-twitter-users/

X Gender Distribution

X /Twitter is dominated by mostly male users, with over 60.9% of users being male.

• 60.9% of Twitter’s user base identifies as male.
• 39.1% of Twitter’s user base identifies as female.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/828092/distribution-of-users-on-twitter-worldwide-gender/

X / Twitter Traffic by Country

According to 6-month traffic averages, the U.S. takes up 23.21% of the total traffic to X.com, which does make sense since Americans use the platform the most.

• United States: 23.21%
• Japan: 16.06%
• United Kingdom: 5.51%
• Brazil: 4.12%
• Spain: 3.25%

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/261402/distribution-of-twitter-traffic-by-country/

U.S Twitter User Statistics

Though some sources state that X users were over 106 million at the end of 2024, other sources claim 55 million. However, this is most likely a more conservative estimate, considering a different metric: daily activity.

However, there is no denying the declining user base since 2022 after Elon Musk bought Twitter and rebranded it to X.

Time Spent on Twitter / X (U.S)

Despite that, people are fairly active on X, ranking as the 3rd most engaging social media platform after TikTok and YouTube, with an average time spent per day of 34.1 minutes by Americans.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1301075/us-daily-time-spent-social-media-platforms/

Twitter / X Revenue Stats

Twitter’s advertising revenue peaked in 2022 at $4.73 billion just before getting acquired by Elon Musk. However, since the transition, Musk has been losing revenue left and right with advertisers fleeing the platform due to Musk’s impulsive business decisions. X is expected to continue losing advertising revenue in the foreseeable future.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/271337/twitters-advertising-revenue-worldwide/

Twitter / X Revenue By Segment

Until 2022, Twitter was growing in not only advertising revenue but also data licensing and forms of revenue sources. Public revenue records of X are hard to find after 2022, but experts expect the platform to be hemorrhaging money.

Revenue Stats When Elon Musk Bought Twitter

However, the below figures are estimated monthly loss in revenue, with some estimates putting X’s advertising revenue to be not more than $1.5 billion by 2024, significantly lower than some other sources.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1396380/x-twitter-ad-spend-growth-us/

Revenue By Region

The U.S. is X’s bread and butter for ad revenue, but from 2021 to 2023, “X” lost $1.6 billion in revenue, with $1.05 billion (65.6%) from the U.S. and $0.55 billion (34.4%) from the rest of the world, highlighting a significant loss in revenue from North America.

Net Income/Loss

From 2010 to 2017, “X” consistently operated at a loss, peaking at -$645 million in 2013. In 2018 and 2019, it turned profitable, earning $1.2 billion and $1.47 billion, respectively. However, in 2020, it suffered a major loss of -$1.14 billion, followed by a smaller -$221 million loss in 2021. It’s unclear what the Net Income / Loss is for X currently, but people estimate it to be in the billions since Musk’s private acquisition.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/274563/annual-net-income-of-twitter/

Twitter Engagement Stats

According to sources, while Twitter/X may have lost some users after Musk’s buyout, engagement rates and activity are higher than before.

• In 2024, accounts on X (formerly Twitter) posted an average of 3.55 times per week, a notable decrease from 5.73 times per week in 2023.
• In 2024, posts on X (formerly Twitter) generated an average of 2,121 impressions, a significant rise from 1,206 impressions in 2023.
• Reply engagement doubled: In 2024, X (formerly Twitter) posts averaged 3.4 replies, up from 1.64 replies in 2023, showing a significant boost in user conversations.

Source: Statista1, Statista2, Statista3

Engagement Rate By Number of Followers

• 1K-5K Followers: Accounts with 1,000 to 5,000 followers tend to have the highest engagement rates, averaging 3.48%. This is often due to more personalized interactions and niche audiences.
• 5K-20K Followers: As follower counts grow to between 5,000 and 20,000, engagement rates decrease slightly to 2.27% but remain relatively strong. These accounts still maintain a close connection with their audience.
• 20K-100K Followers: Accounts with 20,000 to 100,000 followers may see a further decline in engagement rates, averaging 1.28%. This is typically because the audience becomes broader and less niche-focused.
• 100K-1M Followers: Accounts with 100,000 to 1 million followers experience a significant drop in engagement rates, averaging 0.61%. The larger audience size makes it harder to maintain personalized interactions.
• 1M+ Followers: Accounts with over 1 million followers have the lowest engagement rates, averaging 0.24%. While these accounts reach a massive audience, the engagement percentage is diluted due to the sheer size of the follower base and less direct interaction.

Source: https://phlanx.com/twitter-engagement-calculator

Engagement Type

Likes:

• 2023: 37.82
• 2024: 31.46 (a slight decline)

Mentions:

• 2023: 4.1
• 2024: 1.56 (a significant drop)

Reposts:

• 2023: 11.06
• 2024: 8.47 (a moderate decrease)

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1483834/x-twitter-average-engagement-posts-type-interaction/ 

Most Followed Twitter Accounts

As the owner of X, Elon Musk has the most followers, with 215.4 million, followed by Barack Obama and Cristiano Ronaldo, with 130.8 million and 114.5 million, respectively.

Most Liked & Shared Tweets

The most liked and shared tweets are rather surprising on the platform. Besides Chadwick Boseman’s death announcement, the most popular tweets are either joking in nature or made by politically divisive figures.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-liked_tweets

Other Twitter / X Stats

Here are some other interesting X stats that might be of interest to you.

• In March 2024, X’s website (Twitter.com) saw 6.2 billion visits worldwide, a significant jump from 5.9 billion visits in February 2024.
• Global Reach: X is available in over 40 languages, making it one of the most accessible platforms globally.
• Video Views: X (formerly Twitter) users view approximately 8 billion videos daily as of June 2024.

Source: Statista1, Statista2, Adotat

Twitter / X vs Other Social Media Platforms

According to the source, Twitter / X used to rank #12 with high estimates of 611 million active users, but recently updated numbers are at 335 million users, and we’ve downgraded the ranking to #17. Since 2022, X has been on a downward trend and has lost rank.

X may get more users thanks to recent AI developments, but if the trend is to continue, X will continue losing active users and its competitiveness amongst other social media platforms.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/

Countries Where Twitter is Banned

• China: Twitter has been banned in China since 2009 as part of the government’s strict internet censorship policies, often referred to as the “Great Firewall.”
• Iran: Access to Twitter has been heavily restricted in Iran since the 2009 presidential elections, with the government blocking the platform to control the flow of information during periods of political unrest.
• North Korea: In April 2016, North Korea blocked Twitter to prevent the spread of online information, maintaining strict control over internet access within the country.
• Turkmenistan: The government of Turkmenistan has blocked Twitter along with other international social networks as part of its efforts to limit free speech and control information.
• Myanmar: Following the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar’s authorities ordered internet providers to block Twitter to suppress dissent and control information flow during political instability.
• Russia: In February 2022, during the invasion of Ukraine, Russia began restricting access to Twitter, citing the need to control information that did not align with the government’s positions.
• Venezuela: In August 2024, Venezuela’s government blocked access to Twitter amid anti-government protests, citing concerns over incitement of hatred and civil unrest.

Sources: Wikipedia, AP News, Business Insider, Wall Street Journal.

Reasons People Use Twitter / X

Here are the reasons people use X.

• Stay in the loop: 60.6% of respondents use social media to keep up with news and current events – A February 2024 global survey found that 53% of X users followed mainstream news, 45% engaged with celebrities and influencers, and 43% paid attention to politicians and activists.
• Shop smarter: 34.9% are all about following or researching brands and products.
• Laugh out loud: 34.8% scroll for funny or entertaining content to brighten their day.
• Share the moment: 27% love posting or sharing photos and videos to connect with others.
• Chat it up: 19.2% use social media to message friends and family and stay close.

Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1488559/global-x-twitter-users-news-content-by-source/ 

Top Trending Topics

By the end of 2024, here were some of the most discussed and trending topics based on hashtags and tweet categories.

1. 2024 U.S. Presidential Election – Dominated discussions with candidate hashtags and key issues.
2. UN Climate Summit 2024 – Sparked global conversations on environmental policies.
3. Global Digital Rights Act – Heated debates on online privacy and freedom of speech.
4. New AI Model with Human-Like Reasoning – Mixed reactions of excitement and concern.
5. Apple’s Augmented Reality Glasses – Created a buzz in the tech community.
6. SpaceX’s Mars Mission – Captured global imagination for weeks.
7. Deadpool 3 (Featuring Wolverine) – Memes and fan theories flooded Twitter.
8. House of the Dragon Season 2 – Reignited Game of Thrones fandom.
9. Taylor Swift’s Historic Grammy Win – Celebrated her record-breaking Album of the Year wins.
10. 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris – Daily highlights and medal ceremonies trended.
11. UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany – Unexpected upsets and record-breaking performances.
12. AI-Assisted Refereeing in Soccer – Debates on technology in sports officiating.
13. Global Protests Against Income Inequality – Trended across multiple countries.
14. #PlasticFreeChallenge – Encouraged reducing plastic consumption.
15. Universal Basic Income Campaign – Millions pledged support on Twitter.
16. CRISPR Gene Editing Breakthroughs – Sparked hope for treating genetic diseases.
17. WHO’s Global Mental Health Initiative – Promoted open conversations about mental well-being.
18. Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Strain – Global response and debates.
19. Microsoft-Netflix Merger Speculation – Discussions on streaming and gaming industries.
20. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) – Ripples across financial markets.
21. Neuralink’s First Human Trial – Overnight sensation with global trending.
22. James Webb Space Telescope Discovery – Biosignatures on an exoplanet captivated users.
23. World’s First Commercial Nuclear Fusion Reactor – Discussions on clean energy’s future.
24. Ancient Amazon Rainforest City Discovery – Fascinated history enthusiasts.
25. Digital Detox Challenge – Users shared experiences of going offline.
26. AI-Generated Art Winning Competitions – Debated as the top meme of 2024.
27. Twitter’s Blockchain-Based Verification System – Discussions on online identity and authenticity.

Source: https://socialbu.com/blog/twitter-trending-topics

Facts & Statistics of Twitter / X Under Elon Musk’s Leadership

Here are some interesting facts after Elon Musk bought Twitter and rebranded it to X.

• Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, taking the company private.
• Musk Tried to back out of the deal citing that Twitter was worth $20 billion instead of the agreed $44 billion.
• In July 2023, Musk rebranded Twitter as X, shifting its focus toward becoming an “everything app” inspired by China’s WeChat.
• Musk implemented aggressive cost-cutting strategies including layoffs of approximately 50% of Twitter’s workforce (around 3,700 employees) in late 2022. Additional layoffs in 2023 reduced the workforce to about 1,500 employees.
• Advertising revenue declined by 50% in December 2022, as major brands paused spending due to concerns about content moderation and platform stability
• Introduced Twitter Blue (now X Premium): A subscription service offering verification, longer tweets, and ad revenue sharing for creators. As of 2023, it has over 1 million subscribers
• Musk reinstated several high-profile accounts previously banned for violating Twitter’s policies, including Donald Trump, Andrew Tate, and Kanye West (Ye)
• Introduced a crowdsourced fact-checking system called Community Notes to combat misinformation, but people have claimed ineffective measures and misinformation on the platform.
• Major advertisers, including General Motors, Audi, and Pfizer, paused spending on the platform due to concerns about brand safety and Musk’s leadership style.

Sources: NYTimes, BBC, The Guardian.

Brief History of Twitter

• 2006: Twitter was founded by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams.
• March 21, 2006: Twitter officially launched as a short messaging service allowing 140-character text updates (“tweets”).
• 2007: Twitter gained significant attention during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival, leading to rapid growth.
• 2007: Hashtags were introduced, allowing users to categorize tweets and make them searchable.
• 2009: Retweet functionality was added, enabling users to easily share others’ tweets.
• 2010: Trending topics were introduced, showing the most popular topics in real-time.
• 2010s: The platform became a key tool for news, politics, social movements, and celebrity engagement.
• 2013: Twitter went public, offering shares at $26 each.
• 2022: Elon Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion, initiating a new phase of change.
• 2023: Twitter was rebranded to “X” under Elon Musk’s vision to transform the platform into an “everything app.”

Final Thoughts & Conclusion

While Twitter wasn’t the most popular social media platform, it still had a solid user base, foundation, and goodwill with advertisers. If Twitter was not acquired by Elon Musk there would have been a good chance that the company’s user base would have continued growing along with advertising and licensing revenue.

However, daily and monthly active users are declining year by year under Musk’s leadership and business principles due to his cavalier approach to handling “free speech”, thus X is forecasted to continue losing advertisers and users for the following few years, but some people stay remain hopeful that Musk will turn things around.