Report: Bumble in talks for $1B take-private deal with Ithaca Holdings

Bumble is in advanced negotiations to be acquired by Ithaca Holdings in a deal that would value the dating app company at approximately $1 billion, according to Reuters, as the platform faces declining paying subscribers and slowing revenue growth.

Citing a source familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that the Austin, Texas-based company is discussing a transaction that would remove it from the public market five years after its Nasdaq debut.

The potential acquisition has not been finalized, and neither Bumble nor Ithaca Holdings immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

News of the negotiations sent Bumble shares sharply higher on Monday, with the stock closing approximately 50% higher at $3.80. The increase marked the company’s largest single-day percentage gain since going public.

Before the report emerged, Bumble had a market capitalization of approximately $389 million at Friday’s close, substantially below the valuation being discussed in the potential transaction.

The talks follow months of uncertainty surrounding Bumble’s future as a publicly traded company. Reuters previously reported that the dating app operator was exploring a possible sale amid weakening growth across the online dating industry.

The potential acquisition comes as Bumble struggles to stabilize its subscription business, which has been affected by declining engagement and changing consumer behavior.

Bumble reported approximately 3.7 million paying users in 2025, representing a decline of more than 11% from the previous year.

Annual revenue also fell nearly 10% to approximately $966 million, reflecting the difficulties the company has faced in maintaining subscriber growth and monetization.

The downward trend continued into 2026.

During the second quarter ended June 30, Bumble’s total paying users declined 16.4% year over year to 3.2 million.

The figures underscore the challenges facing the company’s subscription-based business model, which relies on users paying for additional dating features and services.

Bumble is not alone in experiencing pressure on user engagement.

The broader online dating market has faced growing competition and shifting preferences, particularly among younger consumers who have become less interested in traditional swipe-based matchmaking.

Match Group, which operates Tinder and Hinge, has also faced pressure as dating platforms attempt to attract younger users and encourage them to spend more time and money on their services.

These trends have raised questions about how established dating apps can maintain growth after years of expansion driven by mobile adoption and subscription monetization.

Ithaca Holdings, the company reportedly negotiating the acquisition, is a technology-focused holding company founded by Silicon Valley executives Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman.

A completed transaction would take Bumble private, ending its tenure as a publicly traded company following a substantial decline in its market valuation.

Bumble made its Nasdaq debut in February 2021, when investor demand for digital consumer platforms was elevated.

The company reached a valuation of approximately $14 billion during its public-market debut, reflecting expectations for continued growth in online dating and paid subscriptions.

Since then, Bumble’s market value has fallen considerably as subscriber growth weakened and the company struggled to maintain the momentum seen during the pandemic.

A transaction at the reported $1 billion valuation would represent a significant reduction from the company’s 2021 market debut, although it would also be substantially higher than its market capitalization immediately before news of the negotiations emerged.

The proposed acquisition price and other transaction terms have not been publicly confirmed.

Reuters did not report a definitive agreement or provide a timetable for completing the potential transaction.