Bumble has agreed to a $1.3 billion acquisition by Ithaca Holdings, taking the dating app private after a sharp decline from its public-market peak. The company went public in 2021 at a valuation of roughly $14 billion, but has since struggled with falling paying users and weaker revenue. In the second quarter of 2026, Bumble reported revenue of $211 million, down 15.2% year over year, while its paying user base dropped 16.4% to approximately 3.2 million.
The deal was recommended by an independent committee of Bumble's board after a review of strategic options. Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd did not participate in the board's discussions or vote on the transaction, according to the company. She said she plans to remain actively involved and work alongside Ithaca's Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman.
Going private could give Bumble more room to experiment without quarterly public-market pressure. The company has been exploring AI-driven features, offline connection tools, and a new interaction format that could eventually replace the swipe-based model. In July, it announced Plans, a feature focused on real-world activities.
Because there is only one source, this article reflects TechCrunch's reporting; there are no differing accounts to compare. The broader context is that online dating faces a reset as younger users grow dissatisfied with familiar swipe-based apps.