Dating Services

Grindr could soon disappear from Wall Street’s spotlight. The LGBTQ dating app’s two largest shareholders—billionaires George Raymond Zage III and James Lu—have raised $1 billion in financing to explore taking the company private in a deal that would value it at around $3 billion. According to a recent Forbes Asia report, the proposal aims to buy back remaining shares at a minimum of $15 each.

The funding, revealed in an October 14 regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), represents a preliminary and conditional step toward a full buyout. While the filing didn’t name the lender, reports from Semafor indicate that New York–based Fortress Investment Group may be backing the deal.

“Young people aren’t disinterested—they’re priced out.” That’s George Arison’s CEO of Grindr's bold argument. In a recent interview, he pushed back against the narrative that Gen Z is losing faith in dating. Instead, he says, it’s the overly monetized business models of many apps that are driving users away.

Arison points out that some dating apps charge for virtually everything—messaging, matching, visibility—making the free versions almost unusable. He claims Grindr has intentionally kept its free product “extremely robust” so that users don’t feel compelled to pay just to participate.

Have you ever dismissed someone who didn’t check every box—only to later wonder what might’ve been? Plenty of Fish’s 2026 trends suggest many singles are doing just that. Their new report, based on a survey of nearly 6,000 U.S. members, spotlights how dating is shifting toward authenticity, spontaneity, and embracing surprises.

Ever feel like you’ve swiped so much your thumb hurts? That’s not just you. Meta is pushing back against dating-app burnout by embedding a new AI “dating assistant” and a weekly surprise match feature called “Meet Cute” directly into Facebook Dating. These innovations are designed to help skip the endless scroll, but do they bring connection—or risk?

Swipe fatigue—dating burnout from browsing match after match—has become a real barrier for many. To counter that, the assistant enables you to type specific prompts (for example, “find me someone who loves poetry and dogs”) and get help refining your profile and matches. Meet Cute will automatically pair you with someone once a week using algorithmic matchmaking according to the Meta press release.

Ever wish dating apps could match not just your type, but your vibe? Tinder’s latest update, released September 10, 2025, introduces “Modes”—new ways to connect depending on what you’re feeling or where you are. With Modes, you can switch between different matching styles, starting with Double Date Mode, College Mode, and the classic-style For You Mode. Tinder’s press release explains how this aims to give people more control over how they meet others.

Tinder’s latest campaign which launched August 25, 2025 is all about that thrill, chaos, and joy of having a crush. Called “Crush Feelings,” it’s designed especially for Gen Z to remind them that those sparks still happen—and often on Tinder. Tinder’s press release lays out all the details.

Tinder isn’t just selling matches—they’re selling moments. According to their own data, the app has facilitated over 100 billion matches globally to date. In 2024, nearly 16 billion Likes or Nopes were sent every week. That tells us people aren’t just swiping—they’re hoping, feeling, reacting.