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Who has the most followers on X/Twitter in 2026?

Who currently has the most followers on X/Twitter? Let’s dig into the top 10 today, and see what we can learn from them.

Alec Chillingworth

• 6 min read
A woman diving into some rolling hills, with some giant orange headphones sitting on them
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TL;DR: The most-followed X/Twitter account in 2026 is Elon Musk. Other popular accounts include Barack Obama, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Narendra Modi.

X/Twitter accounts with the most followers: The top 10

Who currently has the most followers on X/Twitter?* Unsurprisingly, it’s the platform’s current chairman, Elon Musk. Here’s a breakdown of the full top 10.

Account Followers
1. Elon Musk 234.9 million
2. Barack Obama 119 million
3. Donald Trump 110 million
4. Narendra Modi 106.1 million
5. Cristiano Ronaldo 105.7 million
6. Rihanna 96.5 million
7. Justin Bieber 89.9 million
8. NASA 89.1 million
9. Katy Perry 85.3 million
10. Taylor Swift 79 million

1. Elon Musk – 234.9 million followers

It makes sense that Elon Musk is the most-followed X/Twitter account — he bought the platform in 2022, and is the person behind the rebrand. Celebrated for driving companies like Tesla and SpaceX into the public eye, he’s now equally famous for controversial X posts and public speaking. 

Musk’s brief position in the US government gave his posts extra sway with users, regardless of their opinion on the man himself. All of this makes him the only X/Twitter account with more than 200 million followers.

2. Barack Obama – 119 million followers 

Social media seems like second nature nowadays, but in 2008, Barack Obama was something of a trailblazer. The former US president was the first major candidate to use platforms like X/Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube during campaign season, lending him a more relatable vibe. 

He still posts political content, but Obama’s feed covers everything from the Super Bowl to intimate snaps with his family. And of course, amid all the end-of-year lists, he’ll always share his favorite music, books, and films. 

3. Donald Trump – 110 million followers  

Despite owning his own social media platform, Donald Trump is still the third-most-followed person on X/Twitter. After his second impeachment, the current US president’s account was suspended by X/Twitter’s old leadership. He was reinstated once Musk bought the company in 2022, and continues to post statements, updates, and press conferences. 

4. Narendra Modi – 106.1 million followers 

Narendra Modi has been the Indian prime minister for 12 years, securing a third term in 2024. Similar to Trump, the controversial politician has faced legal action, and is currently battling a lawsuit from X/Twitter. Posting in both English and Gujarati, Modi’s X/Twitter feed is largely populated with photo ops and snippets from press conferences. 

5. Cristiano Ronaldo – 105.7 million followers 

Cristiano Ronaldo is the second-most followed account and most-followed person on Instagram — fifth place on X/Twitter isn’t too bad at all. The Portuguese footballer publishes a healthy mix of personal content, training footage, and sponsored posts, mirroring the range of his Instagram presence. 

6. Rihanna – 96.5 million followers

Singer. Businesswoman. Actor. Whether you know Rihanna for Umbrella, Fenty Beauty, or shooting aliens in Battleship, the Barbadian superstar is one of the most-followed X/Twitter users because she keeps busy. 

Rihanna’s X/Twitter activity is focused and business-driven, but genuine. You’ll find a heavy smattering of Fenty Beauty content mixed with magazine shoots, personal snaps, and behind-the-scenes clips. Whenever that new album eventually drops, we’re sure she’ll pick up a new follower or two.

7. Justin Bieber – 89.9 million followers 

If you weren’t there, it’s hard to understand just how massive Justin Bieber was back in the day. The Canadian singer made history with Baby, dividing music fans and securing the title of most-disliked YouTube video of all time. Oh, and he was literally 15 at the time. 

Since then, Bieber’s released multiple studio albums, relentlessly toured the world, and managed to shake off the unfair “so-bad-it’s-good…or-maybe-still-pretty-bad” tag that came with Baby.

Following a Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosis in 2022, he didn’t post anything on the platform for three years. He returned in July 2025 to promote his new album, Swag.

8. NASA – 89.1 million followers 

The eighth entry in our list is the only agency or business. The name “NASA” is synonymous with exploration, adventure, and innovation — it’s the catch-all space research program, and its inclusion here is testament to that fact. SpaceX, owned by Musk, has roughly 50 million fewer followers. 

9. Katy Perry – 85.3 million followers 

Katy Perry may be ninth on this list, but she was the first person to reach 100 million followers back in 2017. The Firework hit-maker’s come a long way since her Warped Tour days, establishing herself as an American Idol judge and UNICEF ambassador. 

Perry’s X/Twitter account goes hard on the business front, plugging upcoming gigs with a wink and a smile — she’s got tickets to sell, after all. But her feed always appears upbeat and colorful, mirroring the artwork and music videos that made her name.

10. Taylor Swift – 79 million followers

Taylor Swift is arguably the biggest celebrity in the world right now, pop star or otherwise. It makes sense that she’s crashing into this list at number ten — she doesn’t post much, but when she does, the numbers are wild. It’s pretty much all music-related, and written in Swift’s voice. Given how much weight her fans give her words and actions, that counts for a lot. 

What do all of these accounts have in common? NASA aside, they’re all huge celebrities — whether they’re pop icons or politicians, you could probably pick them out in a crowd. It’s a far cry from the most-subscribed and -viewed YouTube channels, which range from national broadcasters and wrestling companies to Swedish gaming influencers and kids’ content. 

All of the top ten X/Twitter accounts have been on the platform for a while, too. Apart from Ronaldo, they all started pre-2010, enjoying the initial X/Twitter boom and staying the course.

Unless you’re a bona-fide celebrity, you’ll likely never hit Taylor Swift numbers — and that’s fine. You can still monetize X/Twitter, build a strong following, and create content that lasts.

One way to do that is with music. Epidemic Sound’s got you covered.

Our catalog is high-quality, affordable, and safe. An Epidemic Sound subscription goes beyond royalty-free music, removing the headache of licensing and freeing you up to do what you do best. 

You can enjoy the safety of our license hand-in-hand with our catalog of 50,000 tracks, covering just about every genre you can think of. You’ll also gain unlimited access to our advanced search functions — finding the right sound’s never been easier. 

It’s better than royalty-free. It’s worry-free. Get started with Epidemic Sound below.

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* Data and rankings updated February 20, 2026

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