Dating app Bumble in advanced talks to go private at $1 billion valuation, source says

Oct 12 — Bumble is in advanced talks to ​be taken private by Ithaca Holdings in a deal that values the dating app operator ‌at roughly $1 billion, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters ⁠on Monday.

Shares of ​Bumble rose around 52% to $3.86. ⁠Reuters exclusively reported earlier this year that ‌Bumble is exploring ‌a sale amid slowing growth in the online ⁠dating sector.

Bumble and Ithaca ⁠Holdings did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

As of Friday's close, Bumble had a market valuation of roughly $389 million. Shares of the company, based in Austin, Texas, had fallen ‌nearly 29% this year.

Bumble and ​larger rival Match Group, which owns Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, have been under pressure in a crowded market grappling with weaker user engagement, particularly from younger Gen Z users tired of endless swiping.

Founded in 2014 by CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, ​Bumble pioneered the "women-first" approach to online dating.

Under Wolfe ‌Herd, who returned ‌to ⁠the CEO role in March 2025 after stepping down in January 2024, Bumble is overhauling its dating app with AI-powered features and new ways for ‌users to connect as ​it seeks to revive ‌growth.

(Reporting by Milana Vinn ⁠in ​New York and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by ​Jonathan Ananda)

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