Bluesky is rolling out new features that let users share when they are livestreaming on Twitch and discuss publicly traded stocks using specialized hashtags, as the social network looks to build on a recent increase in app downloads in the United States.
The updates arrive after heightened attention on rival platform X over the spread of nonconsensual sexualized deepfakes generated with its AI tools, an episode that coincided with a short-term jump in Bluesky installs.
New Features Focused On Live And Finance Content
Bluesky said it is expanding access to its experimental “Live Now” feature, which allows users to add a temporary “LIVE” badge to their avatar while streaming. The feature currently supports Twitch and does not allow users to stream directly on Bluesky.
The app is also introducing cashtags for stock discussions. Cashtags are created by placing a dollar sign before a stock’s ticker symbol, such as $AAPL. The format was first popularized by Stocktwits and later adopted by Twitter in 2012, becoming a common way to discuss equities in real time.
Download Spike After Deepfake Controversy
The feature launch follows a rise in Bluesky downloads after reports spread about X users prompting the platform’s AI bot Grok to create sexualized images of real women and, in some cases, minors without consent. This week, California’s attorney general opened an investigation into xAI’s chatbot over the spread of nonconsensual sexually explicit material.
According to Appfigures, daily downloads of Bluesky’s iOS app in the US increased nearly 50% after the issue gained wider attention. The company typically sees about 4,000 US installs per day. From December 30, 2025, through January 6, 2026, downloads totaled about 19,500. Between January 7 and January 14, that figure rose to roughly 29,000, an increase of 49%.
Catching Up On Popular Use Cases
Cashtags position Bluesky to better support one of X’s established use cases, real-time stock discussion. By pairing finance-focused features with livestream indicators, Bluesky appears to be targeting creators, traders, and audiences that follow events as they happen.
The “Live Now” badge is limited in scope for now, as it only signals activity on Twitch and does not enable in-app livestreaming.
Context Of Slower Growth Last Year
The recent uptick follows a period of weaker performance. Appfigures reported in April 2025 that Bluesky downloads had fallen to new lows, while Similarweb data showed daily average mobile users dropped by nearly 40% by the end of October. Pew Research also found that while many influencers created Bluesky accounts, they continued to post more frequently on X.
The data suggests that switching costs remain high for users of real-time social networks. While new features may help attract attention, Bluesky still faces the challenge of changing long-established posting habits as it seeks to convert short-term interest into sustained engagement.
Featured image credits: Heute.at
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