X users jump to Bluesky – but what is it and who owns it?

If you’ve noticed the name “Bluesky” appearing more often on your social media feeds, you may be wondering what it’s all about. Bluesky is a rapidly growing alternative to Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter), and its rise has coincided with increasing dissatisfaction with X’s direction. With its visually similar design and decentralized structure, Bluesky has been attracting users in droves—reportedly gaining around one million new sign-ups daily.

As of now, Bluesky has 16.7 million users, but that number is likely growing by the hour. So, what exactly is Bluesky, and why is it drawing so much attention?

What is Bluesky?

Bluesky is a social media platform that bills itself as “social media as it should be.” It looks and feels similar to X, with users able to post, comment, like, and repost content in the same familiar layout. The main difference, however, is that Bluesky operates on a decentralized model, meaning that users have more control over their data and can host it on servers that are not owned by the platform.

In simpler terms, Bluesky is designed to give users more control and flexibility compared to centralized platforms like X. Users who sign up for Bluesky are typically given a username with the domain “.bsky.social,” though they have the option to host their account on servers they own. While most users stick with the default platform, the decentralized model offers greater privacy and autonomy.

Who Owns Bluesky?

Bluesky was founded by Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter. Dorsey envisioned Bluesky as a decentralized version of Twitter, one that would be free from control by any single entity. Although Dorsey initially played a central role in the project, he stepped down from the board in May 2024 and deleted his account in September.

Now, Bluesky is managed by CEO Jay Graber, who runs it as a US public benefit corporation. While Dorsey was the driving force behind the platform’s creation, Graber and her team are now responsible for its direction and growth.

Why Is Bluesky Gaining Popularity?

Bluesky’s rapid growth is no accident. Though the platform has been around since 2019, it was invitation-only until February 2024, allowing the team to fine-tune its features before opening it up to the wider public. Since then, the platform has been experiencing a surge in new users, with some experts attributing this growth to dissatisfaction with X, particularly in light of its political direction and controversies surrounding Musk’s leadership.

In November 2024, Bluesky’s user base spiked dramatically, coinciding with Donald Trump’s return to the political stage. Musk, a known supporter of Trump, has faced criticism for his handling of X, and many users have begun migrating to Bluesky in protest. Other critics of X, including major media outlets like The Guardian, have also abandoned the platform, calling it a “toxic media space.”

The shift to Bluesky isn’t just about politics. The platform has been embraced by celebrities like Lizzo, Greg Davies, Ben Stiller, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who are either leaving X altogether or reducing their presence there. As of Thursday, Bluesky was the top free app in the UK’s Apple App Store, further proving its growing appeal.

Despite its impressive growth, Bluesky still has a long way to go before it can challenge X as the dominant platform in the social media landscape. X’s user base is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions, a far cry from Bluesky’s 16.7 million users. But the platform’s steady growth shows it has potential.

How Does Bluesky Make Money?

One of the biggest questions surrounding Bluesky’s future is how it plans to generate revenue. Like many tech startups, Bluesky was initially funded by venture capital and has raised tens of millions of dollars. However, as its user base expands, the platform will need to find sustainable ways to generate income.

Unlike Twitter, which relied heavily on advertising revenue, Bluesky has expressed a desire to avoid traditional ads. Instead, it is exploring paid services, such as offering custom domains for usernames. This would allow users to create more personalized and professional accounts—think @twgerken.bbc.co.uk instead of the standard @twgerken.bsky.social.

Some see this as a form of verification, as users with custom domains would need to be approved by the organization that owns the domain. However, whether this will be enough to sustain the platform’s growth remains uncertain.

Bluesky’s business model is still in development, and it may eventually turn to subscription services or other monetization strategies to cover its costs. However, like many tech startups, it’s not uncommon for such platforms to run at a loss in their early years while they focus on user growth.

The Road Ahead

As of now, Bluesky’s future remains uncertain, but its rapid growth and the shifting landscape of social media suggest that it could have a significant role to play in the coming years. Whether it can challenge the dominance of X or other platforms remains to be seen, but its decentralized model and commitment to user control have certainly captured the public’s attention.

If Bluesky can continue to innovate while maintaining its user-centric approach, it could eventually become a serious contender in the social media world. For now, it remains a platform to watch.