BTS V Ranks as the Most Influential Instagram Artist in the World
BTS member V has once again proven his global influence, earning the title of the most influential music artist on Instagram worldwide, according to data provided by analytics platform Top Nine as of May 2025.
In addition to claiming the No.1 spot globally, V also leads as the most influential Instagram influencer in the United States. With 66.88 million followers, a significant portion—18.2% or approximately 12.17 million—are based in the U.S., making him the K-pop star with the most American followers.
Top Nine evaluates influencer rankings based on follower count and engagement rate (ER). Known for its annual reports and “Top Nine of the Year” post compilations, the service has recognized V’s digital clout across continents.
Beyond Top Nine, influencer analytics company HypeAuditor listed V as No.5 in its “Top 1000 Most Influential Global Influencers,” the highest position among Asian stars. Remarkably, V achieved this while serving in the military, underscoring his unrelenting global presence.
Social media analysis platform SocialBook reports V’s Instagram engagement rate at an astounding 24.1%, the highest globally, even with comment sections limited on his posts. This underscores a loyal and active fanbase that continues to engage with his content at exceptional levels.
V’s latest Instagram post, shared in February 2025 with the caption “Checking in from duty! D-107,” included a series of recent photos. The post broke records as the most-liked male celebrity post worldwide in 2025, garnering 10 million likes in just 11 hours and 28 minutes and currently standing at 16.3 million likes, with 1.73 million shares.
Pop singer Billie Eilish narrowly holds the top spot for the most-liked post in 2025 with 16.36 million likes, while soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo comes third with a family photo earning 14.27 million likes.
On average, V’s posts receive 12.4 million likes, and his 126 posts have accumulated over 1.6 billion total likes. For context, Ronaldo, with 650 million followers, sees around 10 million likes per post, and pop queen Selena Gomez, with 420 million followers, averages 5.5 million likes.
Despite being away from the limelight due to obligatory military service, V’s Instagram activity and influence continue to place him on a par with the world’s biggest stars, cementing his reputation as a global cultural phenomenon.
