Online Personals Watch: News on the Online Dating Industry and Business

Matrimony.com Financial Results

DAIJIWORLD - Matrimony.com, owner of BharatMatrimony, reported Q1 FY26 net profit of ₹8.4 crore ($960K), down 39.5% YOY but up 2.7% from the previous quarter. Revenue fell 4.8% YoY to ₹115.3 crore ($13M) but rose 6.5% sequentially, suggesting signs of stabilisation. Expenses grew 1.5% YoY, driven mainly by advertising and employee costs. The company is focusing on innovation, launching the 'MeraLuv' dating app for Indian-Americans and expanding niche platforms like Brahmin Matrimony and Doctors Matrimony, alongside its 140+ retail outlets.

See full article at Daijiworld

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Match Group to Pay $14M, and Simplify Cancellations in FTC Settlement

CONSUMER AFFAIRS - Match Group will pay $14M to settle U.S. FTC charges. The FTC said the company misled users about its "meet someone special" guarantee, made it hard to cancel, and locked accounts of customers who disputed charges. Under the settlement, Match must clearly explain guarantee rules, stop account lockouts over billing disputes, and make cancellations simple. The $14M will go to compensate affected customers once approved by a judge.

See full article at Consumer Affairs

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Shareholder Sues Match Group Over Alleged Safety Failures on Tinder and Hinge

FORTUNE - Match Group is facing a shareholder lawsuit alleging its leadership failed to act on long-standing safety issues on Tinder and Hinge, allowing some users accused of sexual assault to remain active for months or years. The suit cites a Pulitzer Center investigation claiming Match has tracked reports of rape and assault across its apps since at least 2016 through a system called Sentinel, yet some offenders evaded removal. One cited case involved cardiologist Stephen Matthews, who was reported in 2020 but stayed on the platforms until his 2023 arrest. The lawsuit, filed ahead of strong earnings in which Match reported rising revenue and user growth, accuses executives and board members of breaches of fiduciary duty, securities violations, and inadequate risk oversight. It seeks corporate governance reforms, restitution of executive pay, and damages payable to the company. Match says it combats violence, removes violators, and invests in safety measures, but has yet to release a promised public safety report.

See full article at Fortune

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Haystack Dating Hosts In-Person Singles Events

CNBC - Lucy Rout founded Haystack Dating after reaching burnout from years of negative experiences on dating apps. A cancer survivor and former founder of Tabuu, which won investment on BBC's Dragon's Den, Rout decided to focus on creating safe, in-person events where people could meet naturally. Her £30 London events use an algorithm to match attendees based on shared interests and personality traits before bringing them together for group activities such as cricket or touch rugby, followed by an evening of socializing. Haystack's growth has been fueled by Rout's 50K-strong Instagram community, which generated her first sales and continues to spread the word. She met her own boyfriend at an in-person networking event. Now, she is expanding Haystack to Leeds and other U.K. cities.

See full article at CNBC

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Sitch Uses AI to Match Singles, Expands in U.S. After $6.7M Raise

CNBC - Nandini Mullaji, a 30-year-old entrepreneur and former Bumble India team member, co-founded Sitch, an AI-powered matchmaking app, after noticing her friends' frustration with dating apps. Launched in Dec 2024 with Chad DePue, Sitch uses AI to match users based on values, goals, and preferences, simulating a human matchmaker. Users answer in-depth questions, and the AI introduces matches via group chat. It operates on a pay-per-setup model ($90–$160), targeting serious daters. Sitch has raised $6.7M in funding and has tens of thousands of users. It is currently live in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, with plans to expand to Chicago and Austin by end of 2025, and globally by 2030. The app manually verifies new users and is designed to reduce wasted time, increase compatibility, and improve dating outcomes.

See full article at CNBC

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India's Marriage Market Evolves, Human Matchmaking Rises as Age and Expectations Shift

FORBES - Vows for Eternity, founded by Anuradha Gupta, is a personalized matchmaking service focused on modern Indian clients. Traditional family-led matchmaking is declining, replaced by curated, human-led services. Online platforms introduced scale but failed to offer depth or vetting. Demand for marriage remains strong, with the average age rising; women aged 30-34 now make up 17.7% of all married women aged 15-49. Clients in their 30s and 40s prioritize compatibility in values, lifestyle, and long-term goals. Human matchmakers address needs that tech platforms don't, including second marriages and cross-cultural matches.

See full article at Forbes

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Bumble Q2 2025 Financial Results

BUSINESSWIRE - Bumble's total revenue decreased 8% to $248M. Bumble app revenue decreased 7.6% to $201M, compared to $218M in Q2 2024. Badoo app and other revenue decreased 7.5% to $47M. Total paying users decreased 8.7% to 3.8M. Net loss was $367M, which included $405M of non-cash impairment charges, compared to net earnings of $38M, or 14% of revenue.

See full article at Bumble website

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Bumble Appoints New CFO

PRESS RELEASE - Bumble has named Kevin D. Cook as CFO, effective Aug 12, 2025, replacing interim CFO Ronald J. Fior, who will stay on as an advisor through August. Cook brings over 30 years of financial experience, most recently serving as CFO at Cloudera, and previously held senior roles at Barracuda Networks and several investment banks.

See full article at Bumble website

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Grindr Reports Q2 2025 Financial Results

PRESS RELEASE - Grindr reported Q2 revenue of $104M, up from $82M a year ago, with net income of $17M (16% margin) and Adjusted EBITDA of $45M (43% margin). The platform now reaches 14.5M monthly active users across 190+ countries. Grindr also announced CFO Vanna Krantz will step down after helping take the company public and shaping long-term strategy. A search for her successor is underway.

See full article at Grindr website

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Grindr CFO Vanna Krantz Steps Down

GRINDR - Grindr CFO Vanna Krantz will step down once a successor is named, after three years in the role. She helped take the company public, build investor relations, and shape its long-term financial plan. Grindr has begun searching for her replacement.

See full article at Grindr website

Curated by the Courtland Brooks team