Bluesky surpassed 10 million users in September 2024, the company announced, following a surge in new accounts primarily from Brazil. The growth accelerated after Brazil’s top court banned X, prompting more than 85% of new Bluesky users to join the platform, according to Bluesky officials.

The milestone was reached as Bluesky’s user base grew from 9 million to over 10 million in September 2024, a surge driven largely by the shutdown of X, formerly known as Twitter, in Brazil. According to Bluesky officials, more than 85% of the new users joining the platform following the ban were from Brazil, resulting in a rapid influx of approximately 3 million accounts within days. The company highlighted this growth on its official channels, posting, “If you’re reading this, you’re one of the first 10 million users on Bluesky!”

More than 85% of the new users joining the platform following the ban were from Brazil, resulting in a rapid influx of approximately 3 million accounts within days.

Brazil’s top court ordered the ban on X, instituting fines for users who accessed the platform through virtual private networks (VPNs). This legal action prompted a significant migration of social media users to alternative platforms, including Bluesky and Meta’s Threads. Both apps quickly rose in popularity, ranking among the top 10 social media applications on Brazil’s App Store and Play Store during the period following the shutdown, according to app market data.

Bluesky’s recent feature updates contributed to the platform’s appeal amid this user migration. The company introduced a “detach quote” function that allows users to separate quote posts from the original content. When a quote is detached, the original post displays a message stating “Deleted by the poster,” according to Bluesky’s official feature release notes. This tool is designed to enable users to limit unwanted attention and reduce instances of harassment or dogpiling. Users can access the feature by clicking the ‘…’ icon on a quote post and selecting “Detach quote.”

Additional safety and moderation tools were launched in version 1.90 of the platform, which included a followers-only reply setting to help users keep conversations within trusted networks. Moderation lists were also introduced to simplify the sharing of content preferences across the platform. Furthermore, users gained the ability to hide replies to their posts and to mute specific words for set durations, features aimed at enhancing user control over their interactions, Bluesky representatives said.

The platform also expanded its capabilities by launching video posting functionality in the last week of the reporting period. Bluesky had operated in an invite-only mode for nearly a year before opening access to all users in February 2024. The company reported record activity levels during the surge in new accounts, though it also faced technical challenges. Server glitches and performance issues occurred as a result of the bulk signups, particularly due to the influx of Brazilian users. Bluesky officials confirmed that infrastructure improvements were implemented to address the strain and maintain platform stability.

In the broader competitive landscape, Bluesky remains a rival to Meta-owned Threads, which had grown to over 200 million users by September 2024. Both platforms sought to attract users displaced by the X ban in Brazil. Bluesky’s decentralized approach and recent feature rollouts, including the quote post functionality mirroring that of X, represent strategic efforts to differentiate the service in the crowded social media market, according to industry analysts.

As Bluesky continues to scale its operations, the company is expected to focus on enhancing technical infrastructure and expanding its feature set to support its growing global user base. The rapid growth following regulatory actions in Brazil underscores the platform’s increasing presence in the social media ecosystem.