Meta’s Threads surpasses 150 million daily active users, but monetisation remains a challenge

Meta’s microblogging app Threads has crossed 150 million daily active users and is expanding its ad offerings globally, but the company cautioned that monetisation will remain gradual, with neither Threads nor WhatsApp Status expected to meaningfully contribute to revenues in the near term.
Speaking during the company’s quarterly earnings call, finance chief Susan Li said user growth on Threads continued through the first quarter, with traction concentrated in key markets and content verticals.

She added that growth was being driven by priority markets such as the US and Japan, alongside increased creator activity in various areas, including sports, entertainment, and reality content.

The company confirmed that advertising on Threads has now been expanded to more than 200 countries, with full global availability expected in the coming months.

“We’re working to grow both demand and supply for Threads ads,” Li said, adding that “we don’t expect it to be a meaningful driver of overall impressions or revenue growth this year.”

The outlook stays the same as last year, when Li said Meta does not expect Threads to be “a meaningful driver of 2025 revenue.”

Also Read: Meta opens Threads to advertisers globally

Li said the ad rollout follows its standard approach, beginning with limited ad load and gradual scaling as formats and performance are optimised. The company is currently focussed on improving ad relevance and delivery rather than increasing volume.

Meta is investing in partnerships and creator-led activations to strengthen engagement. “We’re prioritising the quality and timeliness of our content recommendations to drive cultural relevance for the app,” Li added.

WhatsApp status

The company is applying similar monetisation strategies to WhatsApp Status, where ads are being rolled out gradually. Li said Status posts see strong engagement in regions such as Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

“Status posts are extremely popular… often outpaces Instagram in terms of posting,” she said. Ads on Status are already being viewed by “hundreds of millions of people each day,” with global rollout expected to be completed within the year, she added.

Last June, the Meta-owned app announced plans to explore advertisements as it sought to boost its revenues. Unlike Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms, WhatsApp has maintained minimal advertising since Meta acquired it in 2014.

Meta said it does not expect Status ads to materially contribute to revenue in the next few years. Li cited structural constraints including lower ad-spend markets and limited targeting signals for WhatsApp accounts not linked to Meta’s ecosystem.

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The company added it is taking a “very measured” approach to ensure higher ad density does not affect long-term user experience.

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