Threads delivers ads to all users around the world

Meta announced on Wednesday the expansion of advertising on Threads to all users globally. The company says the expansion, which begins next week, will be gradual, noting that it could take months for full deployment to be complete.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly hailed the social app and X competitor, which has now grown to more than 400 million monthly active users, as the company’s next big hit. Shortly after the app’s debut, the CEO told investors that Threads had a good chance of reaching 1 billion users within a few years.

The app has grown rapidly since its debut in July 2023, reaching 200 million users by mid-2024, 320 million as of January 2025, and then adding another 30 million as of last April, before reaching its latest milestone.

Although Threads has not yet reached this milestone, the company has been testing ads for some time. A year ago, Threads began testing ads in the US and Japan, and last April, the platform opened its doors to global advertisers.

The company has made it easier for existing advertisers to expand their reach to topics by allowing them to place ads automatically through Meta’s Advantage+ program and via manual campaigns. Supported formats include images, video, and ads, including the newer additions of the 4:5 aspect ratio format and carousel ads. Advertisers can manage their topic ads alongside Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp ads in their business settings, simplifying cross-posting.

Additionally, Meta has expanded third-party verification already available on Facebook and Instagram (including Feed and Reels) to include the Threads feed through Meta Business Partners. This provides advertisers with the ability to independently verify the brand safety and relevance of Threads – a useful feature when Threads’ closest competitor is dealing with the scourge of illegal deepfakes.

The company did not share how often users will see ads in their feed, but noted that ad serving will initially remain “low” as the feature expands to include global users.