The newsroom for the people building the dating industry.
This Week in Dating Business
The Romance Scam Prevention Act Is Now Law. Dating Apps Have Until October 2027.
Match and Grindr Report Next Week. Here Is What to Watch.
States Challenge Character.AI's Sale Process Ahead of October 30 Hearing
Match Group Partners With India's Cybercrime Centre on Romance Scam Warnings
Three Plead Guilty in $9 Million Romance Fraud Case Built on Fake Dating Profiles
The DataSouth Korea's Matchmaking Agencies Are Up 34% Since 2016 as Marriages ReboundSouth Korea had 2,176 matchmaking agencies in August 2026, up 34% from 2016, per National Tax Service data, as marriages climbed to their highest level since 2018.
PolicySenate Report Says Tinder Went Years Without Updating Most of Its Scam Detection ModelsA Joint Economic Committee minority report found most of Tinder's scam detection models had not been updated in years and that nearly 1.5 million bad actors matched with U.S. users on Tinder and Hinge in the first nine months of 2025.
The DataThe Week in Dating Business: October 8 to October 14, 2026Bumble agrees to a $1.3 billion take-private by Ithaca Holdings, Norway fines Xandr NOK 92 million over Grindr data, and Info Edge's matchmaking billings rise 23%.
M&ABumble Agrees to Go Private at $6.05 a Share, More Than Double Its Pre-Deal PriceBumble agreed to be taken private by Ithaca Holdings for $6.05 a share in cash, valuing the company at $1.3 billion, about 138% above its unaffected price.
M&ABumble's Public Shareholders Will Not Vote on the Sale. Two Holders Already Did.Blackstone and Whitney Wolfe Herd approved Bumble's sale by written consent, Wolfe Herd is rolling her stake into the buyer, and Blackstone sold shares at about $2.94 two weeks before the $6.05 deal.
PolicyNorway Fines Microsoft's Xandr NOK 92 Million Over Grindr User DataNorway's Datatilsynet fined Xandr, now part of Microsoft, NOK 92 million for unlawfully processing Grindr users' personal data in its advertising business.
The DataInfo Edge's Matchmaking Billings Rise 23%, Led by AisleInfo Edge said matchmaking billings rose 23.1% in the September quarter, with Jeevansathi up 18.4% and Aisle up 40%.
SafetyDating Trade Body ODDA Sets Up a Consumer Safety PanelThe Online Dating and Discovery Association launched a 12-to-16-member Consumer Safety Panel that member companies can consult on new safety features and policies.
The DataThe Week in Dating Business: September 30 to October 7, 2026Grindr agrees to buy Freddie for $250 million, eHarmony's Australian ruling is formalized, Feeld's revenue jumps 32%, and Google's Play Store fees go on trial.
M&AGrindr Pays $250 Million to Become a Healthcare CompanyGrindr agreed to buy Freddie parent PurposeMed for $250 million in cash and stock, plus up to $70 million in earn-outs, to sell HIV prevention care inside the app.
PolicyeHarmony's Australian Loss Is a Subscription Design Warning for Every Dating AppAn Australian court formally declared eHarmony's free-dating, auto-renewal and pricing practices unlawful. Penalties and redress are next.
The DataFeeld Grew 32% Last Year While the Big Apps ShrankFeeld's 2025 revenue rose 32% to £64 million and pre-tax profit reached £11.4 million, according to its UK accounts.
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