2025 is closer to its end, and the year has seen some stunning figures in terms of the number of internet users in countries. With China and India sharing the splits, the connected population surpasses 6 billion, but there is more to it than meets the eye. Anyway, as we soon approach 2026, in this post today, we rank the top 10 countries with the most internet users. Keep reading.
Table of contents
Countries with most internet users in 2025
The world now has 6 billion internet users
To begin with, about 6 billion people are now connected in 2025 out of an 8.25 billion global population. That’s about 74% of the global population and an increase from 5.8 billion (71%) in 2024. The figures come from datareportal.
But it’s now entirely a rosy picture. The website also states that 2.2 billion people are without an internet connection. Not just that, the access to the internet also shows a discrepancy in terms of the income levels of the people. 94% of people in countries with high incomes have the internet, while in low-income countries, the figure comes down to 23%.
Now, let’s cut to the chase.
China and India represent 2.3 billion “connected” users
In 2025, China boasts 1.30 billion internet users, which is a whopping over 90% of its entire population and 21.5% of the global population. Likewise, India has over 1.03 billion of its population using some form of the internet, which is 70% of its population and over 12% of the global demography.
Indian telco Jio reached 500 million customers in 2025, which has contributed to the domestic connectivity in the country. China’s largest operator, China Mobile, boasts a whopping over 1 billion customer base too.
Top 10 countries with the most internet users
As mentioned above, China sits at the top with the most internet users in 2025, with almost 1.30 billion. India follows second with about 1.03 billion of its population connected to the internet. The US is third with 323 million people with some form of internet.
| Rank | Country | Internet Users |
| 1 | China | 1,296,394,000 |
| 2 | India | 1,026,954,000 |
| 3 | United States | 323,888,000 |
| 4 | Indonesia | 230,448,000 |
| 5 | Brazil | 184,997,000 |
| 6 | Russia | 135,676,000 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 116,839,000 |
| 8 | Mexico | 110,345,000 |
| 9 | Nigeria | 108,700,000 |
| 10 | Japan | 106,933,000 |
Indonesia and Brazil sit at fourth and fifth, with over 230 million people and 184 million people using the internet, respectively. Russia follows in sixth with 1.35 million people. Asian giant Japan is in tenth place with over 106 million people using the internet.
Check out: 4G vs. 5G: Differences Between Two Mobile Networks
Key takeaways
When we talk about connectivity and technology, Western countries often cross our minds. But it’s rather complex when we take into account the number of people using the internet. The list above certainly highlights that. China and India are both emerging nations and are leading the global leaderboard with the largest number of internet users in 2025.
In the top five, except the US, both Indonesia and Brazil are the other two emerging markets. Nigeria, Pakistan, and Mexico are also defying the odds to make it to the list. These stats highlight the global dynamics in terms of connectivity access. While it doesn’t translate to higher forms of living conditions, it does contribute to displaying these countries’ immense potential in digital technologies.
The internet users’ figures owe largely to 5G/4G and fixed broadband. However, talks are already underway for next-gen technologies. Ericsson, in its Mobility Report for November 2025, projects that 6G will have 180 million subscribers by the end of 2031. Therefore, 2026 might show us more promising developments in the realm of global connectivity.
