Once hailed as a dominant social media player, X — the platform formerly known as Twitter — is now seeing its grip on the European market slip. Under Elon Musk’s leadership, the company has experienced a noticeable decline in user engagement across the EU, as new data reveals the platform has lost over 10% of its monthly active users in the region.
According to X’s latest transparency report released under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), the platform currently hosts 94.8 million monthly active users in the European Union. That’s a steep fall from the more than 100 million users it boasted before Musk’s acquisition in 2022 — a drop of roughly 11 million users in less than three years, with most of the decline occurring in just the past six months.
France Leads the Exodus, Other Nations Follow
A closer look at the numbers shows this isn’t just a minor dip. In France alone, the user base fell by more than 2.7 million. Poland saw nearly 2 million users disappear, while Germany and Spain lost around 1.5 million and 1 million users, respectively. Even smaller countries like Lithuania and Luxembourg were not spared — about one-quarter of their users left the platform altogether.
These losses suggest a broader European trend: users are increasingly turning away from X, raising alarms about the platform’s long-term viability and its relevance in the region.
Musk’s User Growth Claims Under Fire
Despite the decline in verified figures, Musk continues to paint a picture of growth. He recently claimed that X now has 600 million monthly users globally — up from the 570 million he mentioned in July 2024. But these numbers are difficult to reconcile with the data from Europe and third-party analytics from other regions.
X has not updated its global daily active user count, which has stood at 250 million since November 2022. This lack of transparency, especially when user numbers in regulated markets are shrinking, is prompting skepticism from analysts and users alike. It raises an uncomfortable question: is X really growing, or are Musk’s claims inflated?
Declines Extend Beyond Europe
While X isn’t required to report user figures outside of the EU, independent reports suggest the platform is also losing ground in other major markets. A Financial Times investigation from late 2024 revealed that the platform lost nearly 20% of its daily users in the U.S. and about one-third in the United Kingdom.
These losses came shortly after Musk made controversial political statements, such as suggesting a “civil war is inevitable” in the U.S. Many believe comments like these, combined with growing political extremism on the platform, have driven users away.
Propped Up by AI Ambitions
Despite this user decline, X isn’t facing an immediate financial crisis. Musk’s AI company, xAI, recently announced plans to absorb X — a move that could provide much-needed financial support. This acquisition may help keep the platform afloat, especially since advertisers have been slow to return after earlier boycotts.
While some advertisers, including Apple, briefly came back following Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024, the traffic spike didn’t last. The overall trend still points downward, raising questions about whether X can sustain itself on advertising alone.
Shrinking Influence, Shrinking Value
X has become a personal megaphone for Elon Musk, allowing him to weigh in on global politics, influence public discourse, and champion his various business interests. However, as the platform’s user base shrinks, so too does its power to shape narratives. If engagement continues to drop, Musk’s influence — and X’s value as a communication tool — could fade.
Some experts believe that the platform’s perceived value is already declining. Without strong user growth and stable ad revenue, the $44 billion price tag Musk paid for X is beginning to look increasingly questionable.
Steps Toward Better Moderation
Amid all this turbulence, there’s at least one area where X appears to be making progress: content moderation. The latest DSA report revealed that the company added 211 moderation staff over the last six months. Its Community Notes feature remains a cornerstone of its strategy to combat misinformation.
These staffing increases likely aim to meet the EU’s strict regulatory standards, but they also acknowledge a hard truth — that moderation challenges continue to plague the platform, especially as harmful content and political extremism drive users away.
The backlash against Musk may not be limited to X. His other ventures are also feeling the pressure. Tesla recently reported a massive 71% drop in profits, fueled in part by global protests and labor disputes. Some analysts suggest that the negative sentiment around Musk’s leadership across various businesses is having a ripple effect on X’s performance and reputation.
