Catenaa, Tuesday, October 13, 2026- Bumble stock surged by over 56% on Tuesday after the dating app announced a $1.3 billion private deal with Ithaca Holdings.
Bumble said Ithaca Holdings will acquire the dating app for $6.05 per share, valued at up to $1.3 billion.
Bloomberg reported on Monday that Bumble and Ithaca Holdings were in advanced talks about a sale, and the deal price represents a 138% premium over Bumble’s closing share price on Friday.
The proposed acquisition would take Bumble off the public markets after a period of declining paying-user numbers and weaker revenue, as the company works to adapt its dating platform.
The move may give Bumble a chance to focus on its next chapter without the pressure of public markets.
Founded in 2014 by Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble made a name for itself with its unique approach: only women made the first move.
The company went public in 2021 at a valuation of roughly $14 billion, and since then the app has seen declining users as the dating landscape has changed.
The company recently reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $211 million, down 15.2% year over year, while its paying user base fell 16.4% to approximately 3.2 million.
According to TechCrunch, the transaction could give Bumble more flexibility to develop products and adjust its business strategy outside the demands of public-market reporting.
Wolfe Herd did not participate in the board’s discussions or vote on the deal, according to the press release.
“In Ithaca, we have found a partner who shares our vision, believes in our women-first mission, and is committed to investing in Bumble’s future,” Wolfe Herd said in a statement.
She also confirmed that she plans to stay actively involved in the business, working alongside Ithaca’s Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman, and the Bumble team.
TechCrunch said that going private might give Bumble more flexibility to experiment with new features and make changes without having to answer to public-market investors every quarter.
The company has been exploring AI-driven features and putting more energy into helping people connect offline, reflecting a broader shift in how younger users approach dating.
One example is Plans, which TechCrunch reported was announced in July and focuses on bringing people together through real-world activities. Wolfe Herd also recently revealed that the company is developing a new way for users to interact that could eventually replace the swipe-based model.
