Bluesky rolls out cashtags and LIVE badges amid a boost in app installs

Social network Bluesky is rolling out new features that let users signal when they are livestreaming on Twitch and discuss publicly traded stocks using specialized hashtags known as cashtags.

The updates arrive as Bluesky looks to build on a recent surge in app installs, which followed widespread attention around deepfake-related controversy on X.

On X, users were reported to have prompted the platform's integrated AI chatbot Grok to generate nonconsensual sexualized images of real women and, in some cases, minors. The issue drew significant scrutiny, and this week, the California Attorney General's Office opened an investigation into xAI over the spread of nonconsensual sexually explicit material.

Following the controversy, Bluesky saw a noticeable increase in downloads in the United States. According to data from market intelligence firm Appfigures, daily downloads of Bluesky's iOS app in the U.S. rose nearly 50% compared with the period before the deepfake issue gained widespread attention.

Appfigures data shows Bluesky typically averages about 4,000 U.S. installs per day. Between December 30, 2025, and January 6, 2026, the app recorded roughly 19,500 iOS downloads in the U.S. From January 7 through January 14, that figure increased to about 29,000 downloads, representing a 49% jump.

The introduction of cashtags is designed to support one of X's most common uses: real-time stock discussion. Cashtags are created by prefixing a stock's ticker symbol with a dollar sign, such as $AAPL for Apple. The concept originated on stock-focused social network Stocktwits, which now counts more than 10 million users, and was later adopted by Twitter in 2012.

Bluesky is also expanding access to its experimental "Live Now" feature, which allows users to display a temporary "LIVE" badge on their profile picture while streaming. At launch, the feature supports Twitch streams only and does not allow users to livestream directly within the Bluesky app.

The renewed momentum follows a period of declining engagement for Bluesky last year. In April 2025, Appfigures reported that the platform's downloads had fallen to new lows. By the end of October, the daily average number of mobile users had declined by nearly 40%, according to Similarweb data. Research from the Pew Research Centre also found that while many influencers maintain Bluesky accounts, they continue to post more frequently on X.

The trends suggest that switching costs remain high for users considering a move away from established real-time social networks. While new features may help attract attention, Bluesky still faces the challenge of changing long-standing user habits.