diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/client.go b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/client.go
index 00f789c69476..76a06cfcf7bf 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/client.go
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/client.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ type client interface {
 	getTotalRows() ([]NRows, error)
 	getTotalErrors() (int64, error)
 	getRowOperationStats() (RowOperationStats, error)
+	getActiveConnections() (int64, error)
 	Close() error
 }
 
@@ -570,6 +572,25 @@ func (c *mySQLClient) getTotalErrors() (int64, error) {
 	return nerrors, nil
 }
 
+func (c *mySQLClient) getActiveConnections() (int64, error) {
+	query := "SHOW STATUS WHERE `variable_name` = 'Threads_connected'"
+
+	var varName string
+	var value string
+
+	err := c.client.QueryRow(query).Scan(&varName, &value)
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("failed to scan active connections: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	connections, err := strconv.ParseInt(value, 10, 64)
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse active connections count: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return connections, nil
+}
+
 func (c *mySQLClient) getTableLockWaitEventStats() ([]tableLockWaitEventStats, error) {
 	query := "SELECT OBJECT_SCHEMA, OBJECT_NAME, COUNT_READ_NORMAL, COUNT_READ_WITH_SHARED_LOCKS," +
 		"COUNT_READ_HIGH_PRIORITY, COUNT_READ_NO_INSERT, COUNT_READ_EXTERNAL, COUNT_WRITE_ALLOW_WRITE," +
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/documentation.md b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/documentation.md
index 066b81aee7b9..f99d3d9e1502 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/documentation.md
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/documentation.md
@@ -98,6 +98,14 @@ The number of times each type of command has been executed.
 | ---- | ----------- | ------ |
 | command | The command types. | Str: ``delete``, ``insert``, ``select``, ``update`` |
 
+### mysql.connection.active.count
+
+The numner of active connections to the MySQL server
+
+| Unit | Metric Type | Value Type |
+| ---- | ----------- | ---------- |
+| 1 | Gauge | Int |
+
 ### mysql.connection.count
 
 The number of connection attempts (successful or not) to the MySQL server.
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_config.go b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_config.go
index 198ed08a113f..646393dd0fb3 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_config.go
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_config.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ type MetricsConfig struct {
 	MysqlBufferPoolUsage          MetricConfig `mapstructure:"mysql.buffer_pool.usage"`
 	MysqlClientNetworkIo          MetricConfig `mapstructure:"mysql.client.network.io"`
 	MysqlCommands                 MetricConfig `mapstructure:"mysql.commands"`
+	MysqlConnectionActiveCount    MetricConfig `mapstructure:"mysql.connection.active.count"`
 	MysqlConnectionCount          MetricConfig `mapstructure:"mysql.connection.count"`
 	MysqlConnectionErrors         MetricConfig `mapstructure:"mysql.connection.errors"`
 	MysqlDoubleWrites             MetricConfig `mapstructure:"mysql.double_writes"`
@@ -114,6 +115,9 @@ func DefaultMetricsConfig() MetricsConfig {
 		MysqlCommands: MetricConfig{
 			Enabled: true,
 		},
+		MysqlConnectionActiveCount: MetricConfig{
+			Enabled: true,
+		},
 		MysqlConnectionCount: MetricConfig{
 			Enabled: true,
 		},
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_config_test.go b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_config_test.go
index 9983e6e2da12..25da3070ca8d 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_config_test.go
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_config_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ func TestMetricsBuilderConfig(t *testing.T) {
 					MysqlBufferPoolUsage:          MetricConfig{Enabled: true},
 					MysqlClientNetworkIo:          MetricConfig{Enabled: true},
 					MysqlCommands:                 MetricConfig{Enabled: true},
+					MysqlConnectionActiveCount:    MetricConfig{Enabled: true},
 					MysqlConnectionCount:          MetricConfig{Enabled: true},
 					MysqlConnectionErrors:         MetricConfig{Enabled: true},
 					MysqlDoubleWrites:             MetricConfig{Enabled: true},
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ func TestMetricsBuilderConfig(t *testing.T) {
 					MysqlBufferPoolUsage:          MetricConfig{Enabled: false},
 					MysqlClientNetworkIo:          MetricConfig{Enabled: false},
 					MysqlCommands:                 MetricConfig{Enabled: false},
+					MysqlConnectionActiveCount:    MetricConfig{Enabled: false},
 					MysqlConnectionCount:          MetricConfig{Enabled: false},
 					MysqlConnectionErrors:         MetricConfig{Enabled: false},
 					MysqlDoubleWrites:             MetricConfig{Enabled: false},
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_metrics.go b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_metrics.go
index 7920587c0fc8..5912c3a8c9dc 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_metrics.go
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_metrics.go
@@ -1430,6 +1430,55 @@ func newMetricMysqlCommands(cfg MetricConfig) metricMysqlCommands {
 	return m
 }
 
+type metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount struct {
+	data     pmetric.Metric // data buffer for generated metric.
+	config   MetricConfig   // metric config provided by user.
+	capacity int            // max observed number of data points added to the metric.
+}
+
+// init fills mysql.connection.active.count metric with initial data.
+func (m *metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount) init() {
+	m.data.SetName("mysql.connection.active.count")
+	m.data.SetDescription("The numner of active connections to the MySQL server")
+	m.data.SetUnit("1")
+	m.data.SetEmptyGauge()
+}
+
+func (m *metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount) recordDataPoint(start pcommon.Timestamp, ts pcommon.Timestamp, val int64) {
+	if !m.config.Enabled {
+		return
+	}
+	dp := m.data.Gauge().DataPoints().AppendEmpty()
+	dp.SetStartTimestamp(start)
+	dp.SetTimestamp(ts)
+	dp.SetIntValue(val)
+}
+
+// updateCapacity saves max length of data point slices that will be used for the slice capacity.
+func (m *metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount) updateCapacity() {
+	if m.data.Gauge().DataPoints().Len() > m.capacity {
+		m.capacity = m.data.Gauge().DataPoints().Len()
+	}
+}
+
+// emit appends recorded metric data to a metrics slice and prepares it for recording another set of data points.
+func (m *metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount) emit(metrics pmetric.MetricSlice) {
+	if m.config.Enabled && m.data.Gauge().DataPoints().Len() > 0 {
+		m.updateCapacity()
+		m.data.MoveTo(metrics.AppendEmpty())
+		m.init()
+	}
+}
+
+func newMetricMysqlConnectionActiveCount(cfg MetricConfig) metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount {
+	m := metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount{config: cfg}
+	if cfg.Enabled {
+		m.data = pmetric.NewMetric()
+		m.init()
+	}
+	return m
+}
+
 type metricMysqlConnectionCount struct {
 	data     pmetric.Metric // data buffer for generated metric.
 	config   MetricConfig   // metric config provided by user.
@@ -4095,6 +4144,7 @@ type MetricsBuilder struct {
 	metricMysqlBufferPoolUsage          metricMysqlBufferPoolUsage
 	metricMysqlClientNetworkIo          metricMysqlClientNetworkIo
 	metricMysqlCommands                 metricMysqlCommands
+	metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount    metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount
 	metricMysqlConnectionCount          metricMysqlConnectionCount
 	metricMysqlConnectionErrors         metricMysqlConnectionErrors
 	metricMysqlDoubleWrites             metricMysqlDoubleWrites
@@ -4171,6 +4221,7 @@ func NewMetricsBuilder(mbc MetricsBuilderConfig, settings receiver.Settings, opt
 		metricMysqlBufferPoolUsage:          newMetricMysqlBufferPoolUsage(mbc.Metrics.MysqlBufferPoolUsage),
 		metricMysqlClientNetworkIo:          newMetricMysqlClientNetworkIo(mbc.Metrics.MysqlClientNetworkIo),
 		metricMysqlCommands:                 newMetricMysqlCommands(mbc.Metrics.MysqlCommands),
+		metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount:    newMetricMysqlConnectionActiveCount(mbc.Metrics.MysqlConnectionActiveCount),
 		metricMysqlConnectionCount:          newMetricMysqlConnectionCount(mbc.Metrics.MysqlConnectionCount),
 		metricMysqlConnectionErrors:         newMetricMysqlConnectionErrors(mbc.Metrics.MysqlConnectionErrors),
 		metricMysqlDoubleWrites:             newMetricMysqlDoubleWrites(mbc.Metrics.MysqlDoubleWrites),
@@ -4305,6 +4356,7 @@ func (mb *MetricsBuilder) EmitForResource(rmo ...ResourceMetricsOption) {
 	mb.metricMysqlBufferPoolUsage.emit(ils.Metrics())
 	mb.metricMysqlClientNetworkIo.emit(ils.Metrics())
 	mb.metricMysqlCommands.emit(ils.Metrics())
+	mb.metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount.emit(ils.Metrics())
 	mb.metricMysqlConnectionCount.emit(ils.Metrics())
 	mb.metricMysqlConnectionErrors.emit(ils.Metrics())
 	mb.metricMysqlDoubleWrites.emit(ils.Metrics())
@@ -4456,6 +4508,11 @@ func (mb *MetricsBuilder) RecordMysqlCommandsDataPoint(ts pcommon.Timestamp, inp
 	return nil
 }
 
+// RecordMysqlConnectionActiveCountDataPoint adds a data point to mysql.connection.active.count metric.
+func (mb *MetricsBuilder) RecordMysqlConnectionActiveCountDataPoint(ts pcommon.Timestamp, val int64) {
+	mb.metricMysqlConnectionActiveCount.recordDataPoint(mb.startTime, ts, val)
+}
+
 // RecordMysqlConnectionCountDataPoint adds a data point to mysql.connection.count metric.
 func (mb *MetricsBuilder) RecordMysqlConnectionCountDataPoint(ts pcommon.Timestamp, inputVal string) error {
 	val, err := strconv.ParseInt(inputVal, 10, 64)
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_metrics_test.go b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_metrics_test.go
index 00217e2a07b2..d6b4bbc0b801 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_metrics_test.go
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/generated_metrics_test.go
@@ -99,6 +99,10 @@ func TestMetricsBuilder(t *testing.T) {
 			allMetricsCount++
 			mb.RecordMysqlCommandsDataPoint(ts, "1", AttributeCommandDelete)
 
+			defaultMetricsCount++
+			allMetricsCount++
+			mb.RecordMysqlConnectionActiveCountDataPoint(ts, 1)
+
 			defaultMetricsCount++
 			allMetricsCount++
 			mb.RecordMysqlConnectionCountDataPoint(ts, "1")
@@ -440,6 +444,18 @@ func TestMetricsBuilder(t *testing.T) {
 					attrVal, ok := dp.Attributes().Get("command")
 					assert.True(t, ok)
 					assert.EqualValues(t, "delete", attrVal.Str())
+				case "mysql.connection.active.count":
+					assert.False(t, validatedMetrics["mysql.connection.active.count"], "Found a duplicate in the metrics slice: mysql.connection.active.count")
+					validatedMetrics["mysql.connection.active.count"] = true
+					assert.Equal(t, pmetric.MetricTypeGauge, ms.At(i).Type())
+					assert.Equal(t, 1, ms.At(i).Gauge().DataPoints().Len())
+					assert.Equal(t, "The numner of active connections to the MySQL server", ms.At(i).Description())
+					assert.Equal(t, "1", ms.At(i).Unit())
+					dp := ms.At(i).Gauge().DataPoints().At(0)
+					assert.Equal(t, start, dp.StartTimestamp())
+					assert.Equal(t, ts, dp.Timestamp())
+					assert.Equal(t, pmetric.NumberDataPointValueTypeInt, dp.ValueType())
+					assert.Equal(t, int64(1), dp.IntValue())
 				case "mysql.connection.count":
 					assert.False(t, validatedMetrics["mysql.connection.count"], "Found a duplicate in the metrics slice: mysql.connection.count")
 					validatedMetrics["mysql.connection.count"] = true
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/testdata/config.yaml b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/testdata/config.yaml
index 32ff583cf7fc..0b6db7f91eff 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/testdata/config.yaml
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/internal/metadata/testdata/config.yaml
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ all_set:
       enabled: true
     mysql.commands:
       enabled: true
+    mysql.connection.active.count:
+      enabled: true
     mysql.connection.count:
       enabled: true
     mysql.connection.errors:
@@ -140,6 +142,8 @@ none_set:
       enabled: false
     mysql.commands:
       enabled: false
+    mysql.connection.active.count:
+      enabled: false
     mysql.connection.count:
       enabled: false
     mysql.connection.errors:
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/metadata.yaml b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/metadata.yaml
index 40faad297612..769185b76ab3 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/metadata.yaml
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/metadata.yaml
@@ -486,6 +486,14 @@ metrics:
       monotonic: false
       aggregation_temporality: cumulative
     attributes: [schema, table_name, write_lock_type]
+
+  mysql.connection.active.count:
+    enabled: true
+    description: The numner of active connections to the MySQL server
+    unit: 1
+    gauge:
+      value_type: int
+
   mysql.connection.count:
     enabled: true 
     description: The number of connection attempts (successful or not) to the MySQL server.
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/scraper.go b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/scraper.go
index 02c271395188..5f75ce00be30 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/scraper.go
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/scraper.go
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ func (m *mySQLScraper) scrape(context.Context) (pmetric.Metrics, error) {
 
 	m.scraperInnodbMetricsForDBM(now, errs)
 
+	m.scrapeActiveConnections(now, errs)
+
 	rb := m.mb.NewResourceBuilder()
 
 	version, err := m.sqlclient.getVersion()
@@ -677,6 +679,15 @@ func (m *mySQLScraper) scrapeReplicaStatusStats(now pcommon.Timestamp) {
 	}
 }
 
+func (m *mySQLScraper) scrapeActiveConnections(now pcommon.Timestamp, errs *scrapererror.ScrapeErrors) {
+	activeConnections, err := m.sqlclient.getActiveConnections()
+	if err != nil {
+		m.logger.Info("Failed to fetch active connections", zap.Error(err))
+		return
+	}
+	m.mb.RecordMysqlConnectionActiveCountDataPoint(now, activeConnections)
+}
+
 func addPartialIfError(errors *scrapererror.ScrapeErrors, err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		errors.AddPartial(1, err)
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/scraper_test.go b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/scraper_test.go
index edd42d05c779..b9f0e2dbac86 100644
--- a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/scraper_test.go
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/scraper_test.go
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ func TestScrape(t *testing.T) {
 			totalRowsFile:               "total_rows_stats",
 			totalErrorsFile:             "total_error_stats",
 			rowOperationsStatsFile:      "row_operations_status",
+			activeConnectionsFile:       "active_connections",
 		}
 
 		scraper.renameCommands = true
@@ -121,6 +122,7 @@ func TestScrape(t *testing.T) {
 			totalRowsFile:               "total_rows_empty",
 			totalErrorsFile:             "total_errors_empty",
 			rowOperationsStatsFile:      "row_operations_status_empty",
+			activeConnectionsFile:       "active_connections_empty",
 		}
 
 		actualMetrics, scrapeErr := scraper.scrape(context.Background())
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@ type mockClient struct {
 	totalRowsFile               string
 	totalErrorsFile             string
 	rowOperationsStatsFile      string
+	activeConnectionsFile       string
 }
 
 func readFile(fname string) (map[string]string, error) {
@@ -197,6 +200,42 @@ func (c *mockClient) getInnodbStats() (map[string]string, error) {
 	return readFile(c.innodbStatsFile)
 }
 
+// getActiveConnections implements client.
+func (c *mockClient) getActiveConnections() (int64, error) {
+	// Open test data file
+	file, err := os.Open(filepath.Join("testdata", "scraper", c.rowOperationsStatsFile+".txt"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("failed to open test data file: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer file.Close()
+
+	// Create scanner to read test data
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(file)
+
+	// Find the Threads_connected line
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		if strings.Contains(line, "Threads_connected") {
+			// Split the line by whitespace and get the value
+			fields := strings.Fields(line)
+			if len(fields) >= 2 {
+				// Parse the value to int64
+				connections, err := strconv.ParseInt(fields[len(fields)-1], 10, 64)
+				if err != nil {
+					return -1, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse connection count from test data: %w", err)
+				}
+				return connections, nil
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("error reading test data: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return -1, fmt.Errorf("Threads_connected value not found in test data")
+}
+
 func (c *mockClient) getRowOperationStats() (RowOperationStats, error) {
 	rowOpsStats := new(RowOperationStats)
 	file, err := os.Open(filepath.Join("testdata", "scraper", c.rowOperationsStatsFile+".txt"))
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/testdata/scraper/active_connections.txt b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/testdata/scraper/active_connections.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..52218bdc18af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/testdata/scraper/active_connections.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Threads_connected 1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/receiver/mysqlreceiver/testdata/scraper/active_connections_empty.txt b/receiver/mysqlreceiver/testdata/scraper/active_connections_empty.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1