{"url":"https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e","title":"Meta's Reels Hits $50 Billion Run Rate","domain":"wsj.com","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/7421631/pexels-photo-7421631.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","pexelsSearchTerm":"Meta","category":"Tech","language":"en","slug":"96412e47","id":"96412e47-0939-4a5c-b206-e67a12ef47cc","description":"Reels Revenue Milestone: Meta's Instagram and Facebook Reels hit a $50 billion annual run rate, announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the October 2025 earnin","summary":"## TL;DR\n- **Reels Revenue Milestone:** Meta's Instagram and Facebook Reels hit a $50 billion annual run rate, announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the October 2025 earnings call.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e)[[2]](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/META/earnings/META-Q3-2025-earnings_call-368931.html)\n- **Competitor Comparison:** This run rate exceeds analysts' $46 billion projection for YouTube ad revenue this year and eMarketer's $17 billion estimate for TikTok.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e)\n- **TV Expansion Plan:** Meta plans to expand Reels to more screens in 2026, starting with a rollout on Amazon Fire TV devices in the U.S.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e)[[3]](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/fire-tv-amazon-instagram-for-tv)\n\n## The story at a glance\nMeta's Reels feature on Instagram and Facebook has grown from a TikTok copycat launched five years ago with no revenue into a major business on track for $50 billion in annual revenue. CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared the run-rate figure during the company's October 29, 2025, earnings call. The article highlights this milestone amid plans to bring Reels to TVs, building on recent tests with Amazon Fire TV.\n\n## Key points\n- Reels launched in August 2020 as Meta's response to TikTok's short-video dominance.[[4]](https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/how-meta-s-reels-became-a-50-billion-business-11767265157116.html?showGiftPopup=true)\n- By 2022, Instagram users spent one-tenth as much time on Reels as on TikTok, per internal research cited in related coverage.[[5]](https://www.reddit.com/user/raytoei/comments/1q1472f/how_metas_reels_became_a_50_billion_business_wsj)\n- The $50 billion run rate matches expected annual revenues for companies like Coca-Cola ($47.9 billion in 2025) and Nike.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e)[[6]](https://investors.coca-colacompany.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1151/coca-cola-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2025-results)\n- Reels revenue projection outpaces YouTube's $46 billion ad revenue forecast for this year and TikTok's $17 billion estimate from eMarketer.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e)\n- Meta began testing Instagram for TV on Amazon Fire TV devices in December 2025, grouping Reels into channels like trending comedy or sports.[[3]](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/fire-tv-amazon-instagram-for-tv)\n\n## Details and context\nReels started with zero revenue but has since driven significant ad growth for Meta through short-form video engagement on Instagram and Facebook. The annual run rate means Meta expects to generate $50 billion from Reels ads over the next 12 months, based on recent performance.[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e)\n\nThis scale positions Reels as comparable to standalone giants: Coca-Cola's full-year 2025 net revenue was $47.9 billion, while Nike's is in a similar range per common comparisons in coverage.[[6]](https://investors.coca-colacompany.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1151/coca-cola-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2025-results)\n\nExpansion to TVs addresses mobile limits, with the Fire TV app allowing up to five accounts per household and personalized Reel channels; further device rollouts are planned for 2026 but details remain limited.[[3]](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/fire-tv-amazon-instagram-for-tv)\n\n## Key quotes\n- \"As video continues to grow across our apps, Reels now has an annual run rate of over $50 billion.\" — Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO, October 29, 2025 earnings call.[[2]](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/META/earnings/META-Q3-2025-earnings_call-368931.html)\n\n## Why it matters\nReels' rapid rise underscores short-form video's dominance in digital advertising, challenging TikTok and boosting Meta's overall ad business toward projections of over $243 billion globally in 2026.[[7]](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/meta-poised-surpass-google-digital-ad-revenue-first-time-report-says-2026-04-13)\nFor advertisers, this means more inventory for high-engagement formats; investors see Meta diversifying beyond feeds; users get Reels on bigger screens.\nWatch Meta's Q1 2026 earnings for run-rate updates and TV expansion progress, though actual revenue may vary with ad market shifts.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e)","hashtags":["#meta","#reels","#instagram","#advertising","#tiktok","#video"],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e","title":"Original article"},{"url":"https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/META/earnings/META-Q3-2025-earnings_call-368931.html","title":""},{"url":"https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/fire-tv-amazon-instagram-for-tv","title":""},{"url":"https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/how-meta-s-reels-became-a-50-billion-business-11767265157116.html?showGiftPopup=true","title":""},{"url":"https://www.reddit.com/user/raytoei/comments/1q1472f/how_metas_reels_became_a_50_billion_business_wsj","title":""},{"url":"https://investors.coca-colacompany.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1151/coca-cola-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2025-results","title":""},{"url":"https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/meta-poised-surpass-google-digital-ad-revenue-first-time-report-says-2026-04-13","title":""}],"viewCount":2,"publishedAt":"2026-04-20T08:44:59.093Z","createdAt":"2026-04-20T08:44:59.093Z","articlePublishedAt":"2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"}