Instagram just hit a number big enough to rival the population of the planet’s two largest countries combined.
Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META, ETR:FB2A, SWX:FB) chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday the photo- and video-sharing app has reached 3 billion monthly active users, up from the 2 billion milestone disclosed in 2022.
That's more than the number of people who live in China and India - a combined 2.8 billion.
It also makes Instagram one of the most widely used social platforms globally, outpacing TikTok’s 1 billion monthly users and firmly cementing its place alongside Meta’s flagship Facebook app.
Instagram, acquired by Meta for $1 billion in 2012 when it was little more than a photo filter app, has since become central to the company’s advertising machine.
Industry estimates suggest it could contribute more than half of Meta’s US ad revenue this year.
A major growth driver has been Reels, launched in 2020, which put Instagram in direct competition with TikTok and YouTube Shorts for short-form video dominance. That format has quickly become a daily habit for billions.
Meta's stock was unmoved by the Insta landmark, static at $755.34, with the business valued at $1.9 trillion.