Bluesky was meant to rival Twitter — but it's less popular. Now it's eyeing Reddit for inspiration

Bluesky, the social media platform that emerged from Twitter, initially aimed to challenge the dominance of its parent company, especially after Elon Musk's acquisition and rebranding of Twitter to X. However, two years post-launch, Bluesky has only captured about 10% of X's estimated global user base. In a recent interview with CNBC, Chief Operating Officer Rose Wang revealed that the platform is pivoting away from directly competing with X. Instead, it is looking to Reddit for inspiration on cultivating a community-oriented environment. "The world is changing rapidly, and we're not trying to build what social used to be and get to parity," Wang stated during the SXSW event in London. Wang emphasized that Bluesky aims to redefine the social media experience by moving away from the traditional 'public square' model seen in platforms like X and Threads. Instead, she envisions Bluesky as a discovery tool, stating, "Essentially, I think it's useful as a discovery mechanism, but we're very inspired by companies like Reddit." Reddit, which launched in 2011, has gained a reputation as "the front page of the internet," providing diverse sub-communities covering a vast array of subjects. After going public in 2024, Reddit's shares are currently valued around $170. Built on the open-source AT Protocol, Bluesky allows developers to create apps and services with more control over their content. Initially founded within Twitter in 2019 with support from co-founder Jack Dorsey, Bluesky became an independent entity in 2021. Following Musk's acquisition of Twitter in 2022, the partnership was severed. In April 2025, Bluesky raised $100 million in Series B funding, yet it faced significant challenges, including a reported 40% decline in daily mobile active users over the past year. A former engineering lead mentioned that active daily posters have decreased from a peak of 1.4 million in late 2024 to roughly 600,000 currently. As of March, Bluesky had around 43 million global users, compared to X's estimated 450 million. Meanwhile, Threads, a platform linked to Instagram and launched by Meta in 2023, quickly surpassed 400 million active monthly users. Wang commented on Bluesky's user retention, highlighting the common trend in social media where initial surges are often followed by a leveling off, which she believes will stabilize at a higher rate than before. To enhance its offerings, Bluesky aims to modernize its video capabilities, particularly focusing on upload speeds and video length. "That's one area that we haven't done well in, but I do think that this is an opportunity. Our biggest challenge is our biggest opportunity," Wang remarked. Although advertising has not been completely ruled out, she noted that many companies treat the advertising model as a major revenue discovery, akin to finding oil.