Bumble, the struggling dating app, might be on the verge of a significant change as it explores a potential buyout. The company is in talks to go private through a newly established investment firm for about $1 billion—considerably less than the over $14 billion valuation it held after its initial public offering in 2021.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, Ithaca Holdings, a firm founded by a partner at Sequoia Capital and a former Meta executive, could finalize the deal as early as this week. However, it’s important to note that, as Bloomberg pointed out, there’s still a chance the negotiations could fall through, based on insights from someone close to the discussions.
In response to the buyout news, Bumble’s shares saw a significant rise—up around 50% on Monday. This increase boosted the company’s market capitalization to roughly $580 million, up from about $335 million at the end of the previous week.
The potential acquisition comes at a crucial time for Bumble’s founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd, who is grappling with declining revenues and a shrinking pool of paying users. Wolfe Herd, who previously co-founded Tinder before launching Bumble in 2014, is anticipated to stay on with Bumble and maintain at least a part of her ownership stake in any new agreement.
Wolfe Herd, 37, made her return as Bumble’s CEO in March 2025 after a brief departure. The company reported second-quarter revenues of $210.5 million, which was a 15.2% decrease compared to the same period last year, alongside a 16.4% drop in paying users to 3.2 million.
Recently, Bumble reported a quarterly net loss of $127.9 million, finishing June with approximately $154 million in available cash. In an effort to attract and keep users, Bumble altered its core feature in August, permitting either party in a match to initiate conversation, rather than restricting it to women.
In contrast, rival Match Group’s Hinge saw its second-quarter revenue rise by 22%, even as Tinder faced challenges in recapturing previous momentum. Bumble’s difficulties have led to drastic measures, like laying off around 30% of its workforce last year, shortly after Wolfe Herd resumed her role as CEO.
There were also earlier discussions about a potential sale as far back as June, with Morgan Stanley advising Bumble on its strategic options. Meanwhile, a September 2025 investigation by the Daily Mail included allegations against Wolfe Herd of past misconduct and inappropriate behavior, which she denied, though she did acknowledge having used racial and homophobic slurs previously.
Wolfe Herd has faced scrutiny from former Tinder co-founders who contest her claims of having co-founded the app, stating that she may have overstated her contributions. Jonathan Badeen and former communications executive Rosette Pambakian were specifically mentioned as critics of her narrative ahead of the Hulu film “Swiped,” which depicts Wolfe Herd’s story.
Representatives for Wolfe Herd have defended her co-founder status, and she has indicated she had no part in the film’s production. Attempts to reach out to Bumble and Ithaca for comment have been made.
