In brief
Shares of Bumble surged almost 50% on Monday after a report that tech holding company Ithaca is in advanced talks to purchase the dating app for around $1bn (£757m). The spike propelled the company’s market value to just over $580m, a far cry from its $14bn peak after its 2021 Nasdaq listing. Bumble, founded by Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2014, has seen its growth stuttered as rivals cut jobs and users grow wary of online dating apps. Analysts say the potential sale could reshape the market and signal a broader shake‑up in the industry.
Shares of Bumble jumped almost 50% on Monday after the Wall Street Journal reported that technology holding company Ithaca could announce a deal to buy the Texas‑based dating app for around $1bn (£757m) as early as this week.
The rise pushed Bumble’s valuation to more than $580m, a dramatic drop from the $14+bn it reached at its 2021 Nasdaq listing, and underscored how much the market has cooled in the online dating space.
Founded in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe Herd, former co‑founder of Tinder, Bumble distinguished itself by allowing only women to initiate conversations. Wolfe Herd has recently abandoned that rule, sparking debate among users about what makes Bumble unique.
The company announced last year it would cut almost a third of its workforce, citing an “inflection point” in online dating. Other platforms, such as Match Group (owner of Tinder, OkCupid and Hinge), have also watched their shares fall from 2021 highs as the sector struggles to monetize users.
A 2025 Ofcom report noted that UK adults were spending less time on dating apps than earlier, and some singles are now turning to group activities – board‑game nights, book clubs – for the chance to meet a partner.
