The newsroom for the people building the dating industry.
The DataGen Z's Crush Recession Is a Retention Crisis Apps Can't Swipe AwayMatch Group (MTCH) reported Tinder's Paying User count fell 8% year-over-year in Q4 2024 despite ongoing de-gamification efforts. Bumble (BMBL) shares sit 86% below their IPO peak; Hinge grew revenue…
The DataHinge's LGBTQIA+ Data Exposes a Product Architecture Problem76% of LGBTQIA+ daters report feeling deeply uncertain about the wider world, versus 52% of heterosexual users, per Hinge's survey of 31,000 people. LGBTQIA+ daters are 32% more likely to report high…
PolicyA Claimed Grindr Breach Hits the Dark Web. Grindr Denies It.A cybercriminal identifying as "nilojeda" is attempting to sell an alleged database of 15 million Grindr (GRND) user records on dark web marketplaces, claiming the data includes usernames, email addre…
ProductHornet Takes Its Reality Competition Model Into TurkeyHornet's 2025 Thailand Model Search attracted over 1,000 participants and contributed to record active user levels in the market. The platform is expanding the program to Turkey and Thailand in 2026 w…
PlatformsHily Bets Against AI While 52% of Its Own Users Are Already Using It69% of Gen Z and 74% of Millennials believe AI makes dating less authentic, per Hily's August 2025 T.R.U.T.H. Report of 1,559 US daters. Despite that stated aversion, 51% of women and 50% of Gen Z hav…
PolicyDatingBuzz Denies a 670,000-Record Breach and Answers NothingThreat actors claim to be selling 670,000 DatingBuzz user records on dark web forums, including emails, passwords, chat logs, and partner preferences. DatingBuzz denies the breach, stating the alleged…
ProductBumble Sells Paid Group Dates After an 86% Stock DeclineBumble (BMBL) has launched "Plans," a feature charging users upfront to attend group dating events at venues not disclosed until after payment, the attendee list also remains unknown until arrival. Bu…
The Data75% of Pet Owners Won't Rehome. Apps Treat Pets as Decor.78% of singles with pet allergies say they would commit to regular medication to keep dating someone they like, versus 75% of pet owners who say they would end the relationship before rehoming their a…
ProductMAXION Bets an Anti-Algorithm Pivot on Dubai's Burned-Out Daters79% of dating app users report burnout according to industry data cited by MAXION, a UAE dating app targeting Dubai professionals aged 28 to 45 Fewer than 5% of women plan to continue using convention…
M&AA UK Dating App With 25,000 Users Wants a Buyer, No EconomicsUK dating platform launched in 2021 has put itself up for sale, citing 25,000 registered users, 5,000 monthly actives, and 36,000 downloads. Disclosed engagement metrics: 30% thirty-day retention and…
The DataThree Niche Apps Launch as Match Stalls. The Unbundling Is Real.Match Group (MTCH) reported flat year-on-year revenue growth in Q4 2024; Bumble (BMBL) has fallen from $76 at IPO to under $8 per share. Three niche apps launched in April 2025: Howdy for rural single…
PolicyTexas's App Store Age Law Hits Dating Apps. Three States Watch.Texas's App Store Accountability Act requires all under-18s to link app store accounts to parental profiles for download monitoring; the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court block, al…
One weekly email on the business of dating.
What moved in the industry, what it means for operators, and what we are watching next. Written for founders, owners, and operators building dating businesses. Independent newsroom, no sponsored coverage, no filler.
Have a tip, a correction, or a pitch?
We're the people who write and edit this newsroom. Write to us directly, we reply within one business day.
Sources are protected. We reply personally.

