Meta’s Threads Finally Acquires Threads.com Domain, Strengthening Its Online Presence

Meta’s social networking platform Threads — its response to X (previously Twitter) — launched with nearly all the components necessary to emerge as a significant competitor. Supported by one of the biggest technology corporations in the world and seamlessly connected to Instagram, Threads rapidly surged in popularity, reaching 100 million users within just five days of its launch.

Nevertheless, there was one essential element lacking from its online toolkit: the highly sought-after Threads.com domain name.

That changed on April 24, when Meta officially shifted from Threads.net to Threads.com. The newly acquired domain now guides users to the web version of the Threads platform, signifying an important advancement in the platform’s development.

“Today, we’re transitioning from Threads.net to Threads.com,” Meta declared in a blog post that also showcased upcoming feature enhancements for the platform.

As Elon Musk continues to alter X according to his vision, many users — particularly those with more progressive views — have been looking for alternative social media venues. Platforms like Bluesky and Threads have risen as leading candidates in the pursuit to take Twitter’s place, although neither has yet achieved the same level of cultural influence.

While merely adopting a .com domain isn’t sufficient to unseat X, studies indicate that users generally have greater trust in .com domains than other extensions. The transition to Threads.com is likely to enhance user trust and increase the platform’s visibility.

Threads initially launched in July 2023 as a mobile-exclusive application. A web version followed shortly after, but it was hosted at Threads.net — a less recognized and less reputable domain extension. At that time, Meta did not own Threads.com. That domain was already occupied by a startup creating a Slack alternative, also named Threads. When Meta’s platform debuted, numerous users incorrectly navigated to Threads.com, only to find themselves on the unrelated startup’s website — leading to confusion and a subpar user experience.

In time, the startup behind the original Threads admitted to receiving acquisition offers from Meta. In 2024, Shopify acquired the startup, and by September of that year, domain registration records indicated that Meta had secured ownership of Threads.com.

Although the financial specifics of the domain acquisition remain confidential, Meta made the transition official on Thursday, rerouting all web traffic to Threads.com.

With the new domain established, Threads is now better equipped to compete in the bustling social media arena — and finally possesses the URL to correspond with its aspirations.