Bumble shares surge nearly 50% as Ithaca reportedly explores $1bn takeover

Shares in dating app company Bumble soared nearly 50% on Monday after reports that technology holding company Ithaca is in advanced talks to buy the company for around $1bn (£757m).

Ithaca could announce a deal as early as this week, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The rally lifted Bumble’s stock market valuation to more than $580m. However, that remains far below the company’s peak valuation of more than $14bn after it listed on Nasdaq in 2021.

Bumble takeover talks come as dating app growth slows

Bumble is one of the world’s most downloaded dating apps, but it operates in a crowded market facing slowing growth. The BBC has contacted Bumble and Ithaca for comment.

Bumble was founded in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe Herd, a co-founder of dating app giant Tinder.

Wolfe Herd built Bumble’s brand around a feature that allowed only women to start conversations with their matches.

The app’s recent decision to move away from that rule sparked debate among users, some of whom questioned whether Bumble had lost its distinction from rival dating platforms.

“Today, our communities are looking for more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to make real, meaningful connections, and that’s what this new experience provides,” Wolfe Herd said in August.

Bumble cuts jobs as dating apps face pressure

Dating apps such as Bumble have faced growing pressure in recent years as some younger users become disillusioned with finding dates online.

Bumble has announced plans to cut nearly a third of its workforce in 2025, as the industry grapples with what Wolfe Herd described as an “inflection point” for online dating.

Investment in other dating companies has also declined as apps struggle to persuade users to pay for their services.

Match Group, which owns Tinder, OkCupid and Hinge, has also seen its stock fall sharply from its peak in 2021.

Dating app use declines among UK adults

Adults in the UK spend less time on dating apps than they did three years ago, according to a 2025 report from media watchdog Ofcom.

Some single people are turning to board game gatherings, book clubs and other group activities in the hope of finding a partner.