Bumble shares soar on report of $1bn takeover talks
Shares in dating app Bumble surged nearly 50% on Monday after a report that the company is in advanced talks to be acquired for around $1bn (£757m). The potential buyer, according to the Wall Street Journal, is technology holding company Ithaca, and a deal could be announced as early as this week.
Market reaction and company background
Following the jump, Bumble’s stock market valuation stood at over $580m. That’s a far cry from its peak of more than $14bn after its Nasdaq listing in 2021. The Texas-based firm remains one of the world’s most downloaded dating apps, but growth has slowed in a crowded market. BBC contacted Bumble and Ithaca for comment.
Bumble was launched in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe Herd, who also co-founded Tinder. Its brand was built on letting only women initiate conversations with matches. But Bumble recently abandoned that rule, sparking debate among users about whether the app lost what set it apart. Wolfe Herd said in August: “Today, our community is asking for more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to create real, meaningful connections and that is what this new experience provides.”
Dating apps have faced pressure as some younger users grow disillusioned. Bumble said in 2025 it would cut almost a third of its workforce, and Wolfe Herd described the industry as at an “inflection point.” Investments in other dating companies soured, and Match Group—owner of Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge—has seen its shares fall sharply from their 2021 peak. A 2025 Ofcom report found UK adults are spending less time on dating apps than three years earlier, with some turning to board game get-togethers and book clubs to find a partner.
