Here's a list of the most followed accounts on X.

20. Selena Gomez (58.1m followers)

We start off our top-20 list with Selena Gomez. She’s one of the biggest acts on the planet and a star actor – so it's no surprise she’s made the list with ease.

While she’s moved down four spots in our list since November 2023, Selena is still the seventh most followed woman on X, and you can find Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake among her tens of millions of followers. Selena’s X account is pretty much dedicated to promoting her music and acting, with the occasional shoutouts to celebrity friends and her personal thoughts.

19. CNN Breaking News (59m followers)

News accounts thrive on X, and CNN is a prime example. With an impressive 59 million followers, CNN’s Breaking News is the second-most followed account on X, serving as the network's home for regular breaking news updates.

Many people still turn to X to know what's happening in the world. After all, X was the original news-focused social site – and the account delivers exactly what you'd expect: regular updates on the biggest stories from around the world.

18. X (60.1m followers)

It's not surprising that X’s own account has a top spot. People follow X’s account to learn about new features from the source – or simply because they just really like the platform.

Along with new app and platform updates, and other X-related content, the account seems to have leaned into X-style talk with short, often cryptic, posts that follow the colloquialisms of the platform. And it works.

17. CNN (60.8m followers)

Next, it’s CNN’s main account. CNN has amassed an impressive number of followers on X, although growth has slowed since 2023. CNN is a US-based news channel owned by Warner Bros and its primary X channel posts news links back to the CNN website.

Posting multiple times every hour, CNN’s team is quick to keep their followers updated with the latest news. This consistent presence on X has given the news network an impressive reputation as a reliable source of the latest information.

16. Bill Gates (62.4m followers)

Bill Gates moved up a spot on this list, landing at number 16. While he made his name in the tech world as co-founder of Microsoft, Gates now spends most of his time working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In May 2025, he announced plans to give away 99% of his fortune over the next 20 years through the foundation, with the goal of tackling preventable and infectious diseases and eliminating poverty for hundreds of millions of people.Indeed, Gates has become one of the world's most influential advocates for vaccines, poverty initiatives, and green energy.

15. Ellen DeGeneres (62.7m followers)

Next up is the account for The Ellen DeGeneres Show on X. Host of the massively popular Ellen Show, her huge viewing figures translated into success on X too. Despite the show ending and the account going silent since April 2023, it still ranks impressively high on this list.

Ellen's famous Oscars selfie post, which, for a while, was the most reposted post on X of all time, likely has something to do with this high follower count. The account features pictures and clips from The Ellen Show, along with a few personal posts from Ellen herself.

14. Virat Kohli (65.8m followers)

International cricket star Virat Kohli is a newcomer to the top 20 since we last compiled this list back in 2023. As well as being the former captain of the India national cricket team, Kohli is the co-founder of the fashion and lifestyle brand WROGN, and frequently shares brand updates through his account.

While followers likely flock to Kohli's X account for his motivational one-liners and sporting success stories, he's also known to promote products for other brand collaborations, like Philips and Visit Dubai.

13. YouTube (68m followers)

YouTube comes in at number 13. This video-sharing platform is the second most-visited website behind Google Search, and YouTube’s popularity has crossed platforms, giving them one of the most successful accounts on X.

Along with the pithy bio of “Like & subscribe.”, YouTube’s account loves to post little jokes and questions that resonate with their audience. It also posts short clips and links to videos on its platform, which is a really good way to shine a spotlight on deserving YouTubers.

12. Kim Kardashian (68.4m followers)

Kim Kardashian’s empire doesn’t slack off on social. The world-famous businesswoman and TV personality has garnered a huge following on every social media platform she touches.

She’s the fifth most followed woman on X and counts Ariana Grande, Sofia Vergara, and Serena Williams as followers. She also uses her account much like other people on this list. There’s a lot of promotional stuff (particularly around her businesses and recent projects), along with general updates about her life.

11. Lady Gaga (70.2m followers)

With huge successes in music and acting, as well as being in the midst of a hugely popular world tour, Lady Gaga finds herself as the 11th most followed person on X. Her followers include Miley Cyrus, David Guetta, and Oprah Winfrey.

Her account is mostly updates on her music and acting, along with the activities of her Born This Way Foundation.

10. Taylor Swift (78.7m followers)

Being one of the biggest pop stars on the planet brings you fame and fortune, as well as plenty of X followers. 

The release of Taylor's recent album, The Life of a Showgirl, led to a huge increase of engagement on her posts, which now get hundreds of thousands of likes.Interestingly enough, she doesn’t follow anyone on X herself. Impressive.

9. Katy Perry (85m followers)

In ninth place, we have Katy Perry, another world-famous pop star. From humble beginnings singing in churches, Perry has established herself as one of the biggest music acts in the world (and an occasional astronaut).

The second most influential woman on X, Perry mostly uses the platform to promote content and spotlight favorite posts from fans – though her personal thoughts and messages pop up every so often, too.

8. NASA (87.1m followers)

NASA’s growing X following is one to be admired. Since we last checked in, the space agency has added another 10 million to its follower count.

The brand uses its X account to share fascinating space observations and insider information about the behind-the-scenes of the space agency. From sharing employees’ stories to insights behind the latest mission, millions follow NASA to stay up to date on the latest news.

7. Justin Bieber (89.8m followers)

Justin Bieber has enjoyed a near-constant increase in followers since his career started. He's remained in the limelight, updating his style and look as he's gotten older, and has become one of the biggest stars on the planet – and the second-biggest pop star on X.

Now in his 30s, Bieber isn't the teen sensation he once was. His sound has evolved, and 2025 saw the release of studio albums Swag and Swag II. His song "Daisies" has already amassed close to 475 million listens on Spotify alone.

Some of Bieber's more notable followers include Jaden Smith, Queen Latifah, and Iggy Azalea. Posts are surprisingly frequent, often including recent photos and the type of content any other X user might post. That's right: Bieber keeps it relatable.

6. Rihanna (96.1m followers)

The most followed woman on X is the one and only Rihanna. Also the highest-ranking musician on the list, this megastar is just as well known for being a beauty and fashion entrepreneur. With a slew of hits to her name and her Fenty empire – spanning beauty, skincare, and lingerie – going from strength to strength, she has grown a huge X following.

Rihanna's X account has the usual promotional content, including information about the latest Fenty product drops and other brand collaborations. But there have also been some adorable personal announcements.

5. Cristiano Ronaldo (105.1m followers)

Cristiano Ronaldo is the only footballer on this list. He’s had stints at the biggest clubs in the world, including Juventus F.C, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.

Ronaldo has some big-name followers, including Lil Wayne, Jack Dorsey (the former CEO of X), and Usain Bolt. His recent posts have gained incredible traction, with hundreds of thousands of likes.

He is also an advertiser’s dream, with a recent “CR7 Energy” fragrance video ad being watched more than 4.6 million times.

4. Narendra Modi (105.8m followers)

India has more than 22 million X users, yet the country’s prime minister commands a follower count almost five times bigger.

Narendra Modi is our second politician on the list. India's prime minister has been an avid X user since 2009, realizing early on the influence social media can have on politics.

Having been in power since 2014, his following has grown steadily. Modi uses his account for exactly what you'd expect from a politician and head of state: he campaigns for his party, talks about issues affecting India, and posts about diplomacy between his country and others.

3. Donald Trump (108.6m followers)

Previously banned from X for over a year, Trump’s X account was reinstated in 2022. The 45th and 47th President of the United States has since grown his following to well over 100 million.

There was a time when Trump’s X profile featured his mug shot pinned at the top of his feed, but the account is now primarily used for political updates… and the occasional AI-generated video, too.

2. Barack Obama (118.7m followers)

In second place, we have the former President of the United States, Barack Obama. It’s no shock that holding the most powerful office in the world gets you a lot of followers. But who knew he’d still be the second-most followed person on X almost a decade after leaving the White House?

Even though he’s no longer president, Obama carries huge political and social influence. He’s still very active on X and often shares updates in support of other Democrats on the campaign trail. There are also frequent updates about work being done by his Obama Foundation.

1. Elon Musk (229.2m followers)

Elon Musk skyrocketed to the top of this list after his announcement to purchase Twitter (and subsequent rebranding to X) in 2022. Of course, an on-again, off-again political alliance with Donald Trump helped boost his profile, too.

Musk has become a household name over the years, from launching products like electric cars and rockets (in one case, literally launching an electric car into space on a rocket) to dabbling in roles at the White House. More recently, he's been in the news for launching a new AI chatbot, Grok. With his interest in cryptocurrencies and memes, as well as polarizing political takes, he's become a magnet for X followers.

With thanks to Wikipedia for providing the posts in this list. In this blog, we updated the list to reflect the most accurate stats at the time of publishing.

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