From traditional male archetypes to micro-communities, these are the predicted dating trends for 2025. Photo / Composite, Getty Images
From traditional male archetypes to micro-communities, these are the predicted dating trends for 2025. Photo / Composite, Getty Images
THREE KEY FACTS:
Online dating has become the ‘new normal’ in looking for love. In 2022, an estimated 366 million people were using dating apps and sites worldwide.
The dating landscape continues to evolve year on year due to social media trends and changing societal norms.
New research by dating app Bumble has found 72% of users are now looking for a long-term partner in the next year.
Many singles playing the dating game will have wished for a handbook at one point or another: a “guide to romance” to help one navigate the era of DMs (direct messages), dating apps, and dodgy profile pictures with fish.
Once upon a time, people used to meet in person; you’d stumble across your significant other in a supermarket aisle, or would regale family with the tale of how you exchanged numbers after sitting together on a bus. Now, the likes of Bumble, Tinder and Hinge have transformed the way we look for love: it’s no longer the friendly bartender who gave you a free drink, but an intangible entity behind a screen that woos you over Wi-Fi.
With apps the new norm for meeting a life partner, it’s no surprise that dating itself is now approached in the same way we use social media. In an ever-changing space where content is here today, gone tomorrow, dating has adopted a similar life-cycle: just like a video you’re not interested in, you can swipe away with a flick of a finger before refreshing the page for new, more appealing options.
While there isn’t a definitive manual for navigating online dating, there are trends that reflect the ways people are choosing to connect with one another. This is where Bumble comes in: the dating app, which launched in 2014, conducts annual surveys to see how behaviours, attitudes and needs are evolving.
When it comes to courtship in the coming year, there will likely be six major movements influencing the dating landscape, Bumble’s latest research has found. 2025 is set to be a “transitional year” in the dating scene, with single people - especially women - adopting a more focused approach to finding long-lasting love, Lucille McCart, the APAC communications director for Bumble, told the Herald.
Dating will look a bit different in 2025, if these new trends are anything to go by. Photo / 123rf
“Women are getting very clear about what they want and need, and what they are no longer willing to tolerate when it comes to dating and relationships,” she said.
“What we’re seeing is a big shift towards realness: people are being increasingly transparent, future-proofing themselves, and taking the time to find somebody to support their unique interests before committing to a relationship.”
After polling more than 40,000 Gen-Z and millennial users (18 to early 40s) around the world, the results indicated that dating in the digital age is continuing to evolve, McCart said, with particular emphasis on emotional transparency, shared values and clear, well-defined boundaries.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents (72%) are looking to find a long-term partner in the next year, the research found, suggesting a shifting desire to “settle down” or a return to more traditional dating expectations. Comparatively, last year’s findings indicated a dismissal of outdated timelines – showing just how quickly the trends can turn.
As a result, one of the trends for 2025 is “male-casting”, or the return of traditional male archetypes, with one in three Bumble users believing there has been an emphasis on male stereotypes more than ever this year.
Heading into 2025, more than half of women (53%) agree that discourse around masculinity needs to evolve, while a quarter of men (27%) admit that tropes around traditional masculinity can make them uncomfortable. Meanwhile, commentary around the ongoing #TradWife trend on social media also points to classic gender norms making a potential comeback.
“From ‘baby girl’ to men in finance and the return of the hunk, male archetypes have exploded in pop culture with a wider conversation on how we identify ideal (or less ideal) characteristics,” McCart explained.
One in three Bumble users believe there has been an emphasis on male stereotypes more than ever this year. Photo / Getty Images
“Future-proofing” is another trend that appears to reflect a growing emphasis on more traditional values. With an uncertain future ahead of us (climate change, job security, and the housing market), the overwhelming majority of singles (95%) said this precariousness is impacting who and how they date.
For example, the research found 59% of women are placing more value on stability, with a growing interest in partners who are reliable, consistent, and have clear goals for the future. One in four women (27%) said they will be pushing for candid conversations around budgeting, housing and career ambitions earlier than before.
A third trend Bumble identified for 2025 is “micro-mance”: in other words, romance is making a triumphant return, but it may look a little different. Instead of grand romantic gestures like dinner by candlelight and sheets showered in rose petals, singles are looking for small but meaningful acts that pack a hefty punch. The majority of singles (86%) agree that sharing memes, making playlists, or morning walks are now on par with romance of yesteryear – even inside jokes can be a surefire way to someone’s heart.
“From embracing the cringe and PDA to rom-coms and a new adoration for meet-cutes, romance is making a comeback in 2025,” McCart explained. “More than half (52%) of women globally are self-proclaimed romantics who love love, and for one in three (37%) women, a lack of romance has had a negative impact on their dating lives.”
With a return to romance on the horizon, it’s no surprise that the majority of respondents (87%) said they have been enjoying dating over the last year, from the thrill of meeting someone new to building their self-confidence.
And with almost two in three women (64%) saying they will no longer compromise their criteria, there is a newfound emphasis on brutal honesty and “realness”, McCart said. This overt candidness may be informed by a larger movement on social media, with many creators opting for total transparency and raw, realistic content that explores the realities of online dating: think post-date debriefs, catfishing stories, and viral relationship rants. The next trend? “Date with Me.”
“Two in five singles (41%) are celebrating more authentic dating and relationship content that shows not only the highs but also the lows, serving as a window to the broader dating experience,” she explained.
“This shift towards more transparent, shared dating experiences is having a positive impact, with 42% of women feeling less self-conscious and lonely as a result. Seeing others openly discuss these experiences is inspiring healthier relationship goals, helping people spot potential red flags, and have big conversations earlier.
“In fact, one in three singles (35%) state that realistic, positive dating content leads to optimism about their own love lives.”
Like other social media, dating apps are subject to ever-evolving trends. Photo / Getty Images
This emphasis on honesty and transparency also feeds into “showing up authentically”, McCart said. People are looking for partners with quirks, and want to date those who embrace their “passions and interests” wholeheartedly, no matter how niche they may be.
“The rise of micro-communities, fandom, and niche interests (cosplay, gaming and streaming) are taking over our social feeds. It’s also changing who and how we date, with nearly half (46%) of singles stating that unique and quirky interests are now key to attraction,” she explained.
“For one in two women, showing up authentically while dating means leaning into their passions and interests. Not only does this help identify partners, start conversations, and build compatibility but half of Gen-Z singles (49%) agree that geeking out on something together is a form of intimacy.”
The last trend for 2025 is “the rise of the guy best friend”, with nearly a third of single women saying male friends are becoming a more significant part of their support network. One in five women (22%) now ask their male friends for help filtering potential dates, while 54% rely on the men in their lives for insights into male behaviour.
With this information now in your dating arsenal, it’s time to take that connection from the DMs to IRL (”in real life”) – may the flirt be with you.
