Bluesky is rolling out a set of new features aimed at expanding how users share live content and discuss financial markets, as the decentralized social network looks to build momentum following a recent surge in app installs. The update introduces the ability for users to signal when they are livestreaming on Twitch, along with the addition of stock-focused hashtags known as cashtags, a feature long associated with real-time market discussion on X.
The timing of the update aligns with a noticeable increase in interest in Bluesky, driven in part by renewed scrutiny of X and its AI systems. In recent weeks, X users were reported to be prompting the platform’s integrated chatbot, Grok, to generate sexualized images of real women and, in some cases, minors without consent. The controversy escalated after California’s attorney general announced an investigation into xAI, citing concerns over the spread of nonconsensual sexually explicit material.
As the issue gained mainstream attention, Bluesky experienced a measurable spike in U.S. downloads. Data from app intelligence firm Appfigures shows that daily installs of Bluesky’s iOS app rose sharply during this period. The platform typically averages roughly 4,000 U.S. installs per day, but between December 30, 2025, and January 6, 2026, total iOS downloads reached approximately 19,500. From January 7 through January 14, that figure climbed to about 29,000, representing a nearly 50% increase week over week.
Alongside the influx of new users, Bluesky is working to close feature gaps that have historically favored X. The introduction of cashtags enables users to tag and follow discussions around publicly traded companies by placing a dollar sign in front of a stock’s ticker symbol, such as $AAPL. Cashtags have become a staple of online stock discourse, particularly among retail investors and traders seeking real-time commentary on market movements.
The concept originated with Stocktwits, a social platform dedicated to market discussion that now counts more than 10 million users, before being adopted by Twitter in 2012. By incorporating cashtags, Bluesky is positioning itself as a more viable destination for financial conversation, an area where X has maintained a strong foothold.
Bluesky is also expanding access to its experimental “Live Now” feature, which allows users to add a temporary “LIVE” badge to their profile picture while streaming. At present, the feature supports Twitch streams only and does not enable users to broadcast directly from within the Bluesky app. Even so, the visual indicator is designed to help creators surface live activity and draw attention from followers in real time.
The recent uptick in activity follows a period of decline for the platform. Throughout 2025, Bluesky saw falling download numbers and reduced engagement. Appfigures reported in April 2025 that installs had dropped to new lows, while Similarweb data indicated that daily average mobile users had fallen by nearly 40% by late October. Although Pew Research found that a growing number of influencers maintain Bluesky accounts, many continue to post more consistently on X, underscoring the challenge of shifting established habits.
These dynamics highlight the broader difficulty of displacing an entrenched real-time social network. While feature additions like cashtags and livestream indicators may help narrow functional differences, Bluesky still faces the challenge of encouraging users to migrate their attention and routines after years of platform lock-in. The latest updates suggest an effort to compete more directly, but sustained growth is likely to depend on whether the network can convert short-term interest into lasting behavioral change.
