Bumble explores potential sale amid user decline

• Bumble is exploring a sale and working with Morgan Stanley on a potential process.
• The company has faced sharp declines in paying users and revenue, with shares down 48% over the past year.
• Blackstone, which owns about 22% of Bumble, could benefit from any transaction as the online dating sector slows.

Bumble (NASDAQ:BMBL) is exploring a potential sale of the company, according to people familiar with the matter.

The dating app operator, known for its women-first approach, has engaged investment bankers at Morgan Stanley to advise on the process.

No deal is certain and Bumble may ultimately choose to remain independent.

Bumble’s paying users fell more than 11% in 2025 to about 3.7 million, while annual revenue declined nearly 10% to $966 million.

In the first quarter of 2026, paying users dropped about 20% year over year.

Whitney Wolfe Herd, who founded Bumble in 2014 and returned as CEO in March 2025, has been working to stabilize the business through price increases and new features, including Bumble For Friends and Bumble Bizz.

Blackstone owns approximately 22% of Bumble and has been a major investor since acquiring a majority stake in its predecessor in 2019.

Bumble continues to face intense competition and shifting user preferences in the online dating industry, prompting the company to evaluate strategic options, including a potential sale.