Daniel Slotta
Research expert covering Greater China
Social media - statistics & facts
Social media's reach is far and wide. The usage of online networks is expanding along with the global digital population, with internet users spending an average of 141 minutes per day on social platforms in 2025. Platforms were once seen as online spaces for socializing but are now utilized for matters of business, dating, politics, and daily communication. Over 5.4 billion people used social media worldwide in 2025, and platforms like YouTube count close to one billion registered users on their own.
Big audiences and even bigger businesses
In 2025, there were over five billion social media users worldwide, with over one billion users in China alone, and over 870 million in India. The United States had around 313 million social networking users. Europe was home to approximately 731 million users, while the smallest audiences were found in Central Africa and Central America. Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, generated over 200 billion U.S. dollars in annual revenue in 2025, while LinkedIn brought in around 17.8 billion.
Facebook's staying power at three billion
Facebook has over three billion monthly active users as of late 2025, making it the most used social network worldwide. Around 32 percent of global Facebook users are aged between 25 and 34 years. Facebook reported a year-on-year audience growth of 5.7 percent, showing the platform continues to attract new users at a faster rate than before.
Instagram's climb to three billion
Instagram reached three billion monthly active users in 2025, putting it level with WhatsApp and well ahead of TikTok in audience size. The app attracts a young crowd, with around 30 percent belonging to the 18 to 24 age group. Hashtags remain a key discovery tool, and #love, #instagood, and #instagram are the most used hashtags of all time.
TikTok: growing well beyond Gen Z
TikTok allows users to create, edit, and share short-form video clips enhanced with filters and music. With close to two billion monthly active users as of late 2025, TikTok is closing the gap with larger rivals. The platform's largest user segment is now the 25-to-34 age group, suggesting its appeal extends well beyond Gen Z. TikTok has also ramped up platform integrity efforts, removing over 146 million fake accounts in a single quarter of 2025.
Brands flock to social platforms
Global social media advertising spending reached an estimated 276 billion U.S. dollars in 2025. As of early 2026, Facebook was the platform most used among marketers, with 86 percent reporting they use it. Around 83 percent of professionals cited increased exposure as the leading benefit of social media marketing. As audiences diversify, advertisers are spreading budgets across more channels, with TikTok's rapid growth making it an increasingly vital part of the marketing mix.
