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Bluesky reports 43 million users following a $100 million funding round and leadership changes as users migrate from X to decentralized alternatives.
The decentralized social media platform Bluesky has experienced a significant surge in growth, reaching 43 million users as many individuals seek alternatives to X, formerly known as Twitter [1]. This expansion coincides with a broader migration of users away from X following changes to the platform’s moderation policies and the introduction of controversial features [2].
Key takeaways
Bluesky’s recent $100 million Series B funding round marks a major milestone for the company, which was originally launched under the direction of Twitter founder Jack Dorsey three years ago [1]. The new capital is intended to support the company’s goal of building an open, user-driven internet without compromising its core values [1]. As part of this growth strategy, the company is shifting its leadership structure; CEO Jay Graber is moving to the role of Chief Innovation Officer to focus on new product development, while Toni Schneider takes over as interim CEO to manage scaling and execution [1].
The platform’s growth is supported by its open-source AT Protocol, which has attracted significant developer interest, with over 400,000 developer tool downloads per month [1]. While Bluesky has not integrated cryptocurrency or blockchain technology into its current offerings, it continues to operate as a decentralized alternative to traditional social media giants [1]. Despite its rapid expansion, Bluesky remains smaller than Meta’s Threads, which has seen its monthly active user base climb to over 275 million [1, 2].
The shifting social media landscape reflects a growing demand for platforms that prioritize user control and moderation. Organizations and individual users have increasingly abandoned X, citing a rise in toxic discourse and a lack of trust in the platform's safety policies [2]. While decentralized competitors like Bluesky and Mastodon offer different approaches to social networking, they are currently competing for a user base that is actively diversifying its digital presence [2]. As Bluesky continues to build out its protocol functionality, its ability to maintain a positive user experience will be central to its efforts to gain mainstream popularity and compete with established platforms [1, 2].
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 2 outlets · Jun 11, 2026 · How we report
Group chats are currently limited to 50 participants and do not yet support media sharing due to ongoing development of safety and moderation systems.
Communities will be smaller, interest-based spaces within the platform that feature their own handles, which serve as URLs, and can be set to public, invite-only, or private.
The shift is a strategic response to growth challenges, aiming to offer a different value proposition by providing user-owned spaces where moderation is handled by the community rather than the platform.