Facebook Becomes Emerging-Markets Play as User Base Shifts
- Two-thirds now from outside U.S., Canada, Europe; up from 40%
- EM funds buy shares amid shrinking dependence on U.S., Europe
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With Facebook Inc.’s user growth in developing countries soaring, mutual funds focused on emerging economies are increasing investments in the Menlo Park, California-based company.
Six years ago, 60 percent of the social platform’s 482 million monthly active users lived in the U.S., Canada and Europe and the rest were from elsewhere. Now two-thirds of its 1.7 billion users are from outside of the heart of the developing world. Researcher eMarketer estimates India will surpass the U.S. next year as the country with the most Facebook users. It also ranks India, Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines as the top four countries to see the fastest Facebook user growth until 2020.