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THE WORLD’S TOP 10 INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS IN 2025

The world’s top 10 Instagram influencers in 2025 ranking list. The top 10 biggest Instagram celebrities,  creators and accounts worldwide.

Need support with your Instagram influencer program? Contact us

THE WORLD’S TOP 10 INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS IN 2025

Before you find the world’s top 10 most popular influencers on Instagram, let me tell you something you probably have been turning a blind eye to…

Instagram is not helping your business

• Instagram is a “money extraction” machine. Its business model is designed to make money from you. Its algorithm has been deliberately engineered to lower your organic reach so you have to buy ads to reach your followers.
• That’s why a tiny fraction of your followers get to see your posts. A massive issue affecting thousands of marketers. 
• You keep trying to build an audience on Instagram you will never own. 
• You cannot transfer your hard-earned Instagram followers to your best CRM software.
• Your customer acquisition costs from Instagram ads are through the roof.

The solution

I can offer you the best digital marketing strategy workshops that will help you:

• Lower customer acquisition costs.
• Minimise dependency on paid media.
• Build a marketing engine with marketing assets and channels you fully own.
• Craft the best digital marketing plan and social media strategy that boosts sales and customer lifetime value.

THE WORLD’S TOP 10 INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS IN 2025 – LIST

10. Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner is one of the world’s top most followed Instagram celebrities with 289+ million followers.

@kendalljenner

Aussie marketers checked out some of the top 25 most popular Australians on Instagram

9. Khloé Kardashian

Khloé Kardashian is one of the world’s top most followed Instagram influencers with 304+ million followers.

@khloekardashian

Trivia question: Which are the top 10 luxury high fashion brands in the world?

8. Beyoncé

Beyoncé is one of the world’s top most followed people on Instagram with 312+ million followers.

Social media managers checked out some of the top 10 social media marketing trends

7. Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian is one of the world’s top most popular people on Instagram with 357+ million followers.

@kimkardashian

Kim Kardashian wore one of the most controversial corsets at the Met Gala. See: the best 10 Met Gala theme looks.

Marketers ask: how much influencers charge this year?

Instagram creators also checked out the world’s top 25 most followed people on TikTok.

6. Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande is one of the world’s top most popular Instagram influencers with 376+ million followers.

@arianagrande

Marketers checked out the world’s top 25 most followed people on TikTok.

5. Dwayne Johnson “The Rock”

Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) is one of the world’s top most popular Instagram celebrities with 394+ million followers.

@therock

✅ Marketers are printing the latest Facebook advertising interest targeting list

4. Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner is one of the world’s top most popular people on Instagram with 394+ million followers.

@kyliejenner

Sports creators checked out some of the world’s top 25 female fitness influencers on Instagram

3. Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez is one of the world’s top most popular influencers on Instagram with 421+ million followers.

Selena Gomez is the world’s most followed woman on Instagram.

@selenagomez

One element that stands out on Selena’s posts on her Instagram account is her authenticity and willingness to share vulnerable, personal moments.

Unlike many celebrities who curate highly polished feeds, Ms Gomez often blends glamour with raw, relatable content—making her posts feel both aspirational and human.

A notable example is her engagement announcement to Benny Blanco on December 12, 2024, which garnered 22+ million likes, ranking it among the most-liked Instagram posts of the year. The post, featuring a marquise-cut diamond ring and the caption “forever begins now..,” wasn’t just a celebrity milestone—it resonated deeply because of her openness about love and mental health in the past, giving fans a sense of shared triumph. Comments from Taylor Swift (“Yes I will be the flower girl”) added a playful, personal touch that amplified its charm.

Selena Gomez posts also frequently highlight body positivity and mental health advocacy, like her January 2024 bikini photos captioned, “I’m not perfect, but I am proud to be who I am… sometimes I forget it’s ok to be me.”

Her posts on Instagram stand out for their honesty, especially given her public journey with lupus and self-image. Fans praise this realness, often calling her a “SocialMediaQueen” for using her massive platform to connect rather than just perform.

What makes her authenticity particularly interesting is its contrast with her status as Instagram’s most-followed woman.

She could lean solely into the glitz of her Rare Beauty brand (vegan and cruelty free makeup brand) or awards-season buzz (e.g., her Golden Globe-nominated role in Emilia Pérez), but instead, she risks vulnerability—whether crying over immigration issues in a since-deleted January 2025 video or reflecting on her body’s changes.

This blend of celebrity shine and unfiltered truth keeps her Instagram posts compelling and distinct.

Marketers are printing the latest Facebook advertising interest targeting list

2. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi (Leo Messi) is one of the world’s top most popular celebrities on Instagram with 504+ million followers.

@leomessi

A graduate of La Masia (Barcelona’s youth academy) and currently playing for Inter Miami football team, Leo Messi’s unique ball dribbling inventions and game-awareness skills have made him win many trophies such as the latest 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the 2021 Copa America in Brazil and his 7th Ballon d’Or in 2021. His golden years in Barcelona FC – under the management of Pep Guardiola epitomised him as the GOAT (Greatest of all time).

On his first day at PSG in 2021, Messi’s t-shirt hit sales records for his new club, confirming his power as a brand.

The late controversial and iconic Argentinian footballer Diego Armando Maradona once said:

“The ball stays glued to his foot; I’ve seen great players in my career, but I’ve never seen anyone with Messi’s ball control“

The GOAT debate (Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo) has ended after his successful 2022 World Cup that crowned him as the winner. Sadly the GOAT debate will no longer fill social media platforms with millions of comments from raving fans.

Cristiano Ronaldo still possesses a record many professional football analysts believe may take him above Leo Messi: Cristiano has scored far more decisive goals (goals that win titles).

One of the most followed footballers on Instagram, Leo Messi sadly collaborates with unhealthy brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade (sugary drinks), Lays (chips), Budweiser (Alcoholic beverage) and video gaming companies that make kids addicted to consoles (PUBG, Call of Duty Warzone2 ModernWarfare 2, Sorare).

Shameful for a guy of this calibre.

Other “brand ambassador deals” include Adidas, Saudi Tourism Authority (VisitSaudi),  Louis Vuitton, Socios.com, Bitget (A crypto exchange platform)

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s top most popular Instagram influencer with 650+ million followers.

@cristiano

Cristiano Ronaldo popular sports athlete on Instagram wearing a blue shirt with the new Nike tick white.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed person on Instagram in 2025.

Born in Madera Island, Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo is the most popular sports athlete on Instagram.

On the 31st December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo signed a new contract with Al Nassr F.C. a Saudi Arabian football club based in Riyadh, right after a controversial exit (second spell) from Manchester United and an extraordinary time at Real Madrid and Juventus.

Cristiano Ronaldo knows the power of celebrity branding and has successfully launched different businesses including hotels (Pertana CR7), Health & fitness app (7egent), Gym (CR7 Crunch fitness), eyewear, underwear, shoes (footwear) and fashion. Cristiano has collaborated with and been the model for global marketing campaigns and brands including Nike, Insparya (haircare), Herbalife Nutrition, Dazn (sports app), Clear (haircare), SixPad (fitness gear), Free Fire (Gaming app), LiveScore, Talabat (Food and grocery delivery app) and Samsonite’s brand: American Tourister.

Cristiano Ronaldo is also known for creating controversy, especially when telling the media he was betrayed by Manchester United or saying he is a better player than Lionel Messi.

CR7 is the most followed footballer on Instagram and the most popular sports athlete on Instagram.

⚽️ Sports marketers are checking out some of the world’s top 25 sports athletes on Instagram – list

⭐️ Popular read: the best Instagram widgets for your website

Marketers reading this list also read the world’s top 25 most followed people on TikTok.

Conclusion

Marketers looking for some of the most popular Instagram influencers, celebrities and creators in the world; know they will have to pay a premium price for their brands to be endorsed by these top stars on Instagram. You can also use some other influencers who may offer better engagement rates at a fraction of the cost of these mega influencers.

eDigital can help you plan and optimise successful digital marketing campaigns that generate leads and sales.

Our digital marketing services include:

• Strategic planning for social media and other digital marketing channels.
• Online advertising: Google Ads Search, Display, Re-marketing and social media ads.
• Training: social media marketing training and digital marketing training.
• SEO strategy, SEO content development and execution.
• Celebrity and influencer marketing campaign strategy.
• Branding. Logo creation, brand development and design of marketing materials.
• Consumer contests/competitions/giveaways.
• Email marketing. Dip sequence design and deployment.
• Conversion rate optimisation. Path to purchase analysis and optimisation.

Contact us today and start boosting your leads and sales.

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Final note: Want to reduce customer acquisition costs and dependency on paid media? Our exclusive digital marketing strategy workshops will unmercifully review your marketing, help you build a marketing engine with channels and assets you own, stir your team’s thinking, bring new ideas for new conversion paths and boost customer lifetime value.

THE WORLD’S TOP 10 INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS IN 2025

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