Meta's Reels Hits $50 Billion Run Rate

TL;DR

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)
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)
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)

The story at a glance

Meta'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.

Key points

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)
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)
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)
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)
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)

Details and context

Reels 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)

This 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)

Expansion 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)

Key quotes

"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)

Why it matters

Reels' 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)

For advertisers, this means more inventory for high-engagement formats; investors see Meta diversifying beyond feeds; users get Reels on bigger screens.

Watch Meta's Q1 2026 earnings for run-rate updates and TV expansion progress, though actual revenue may vary with ad market shifts.

[[1]](https://www.wsj.com/tech/meta-reels-revenue-ade4179e)