Hello Group Celebrates 15 Years, Coffee Meets Bagel Quietly Joins the Portfolio

Posted on September 1, 2026
Graphic celebrating 15 years of Hello Group against a red background.

OPW – Hello Group is celebrating 15 years since the launch of Momo in 2011. The company reached 100M+ users and listed on Nasdaq in 2014, before changing its name from Momo Inc. to Hello Group in 2021. Today, its portfolio includes Momo, Tantan, happn, Coffee Meets Bagel Worldwide, SoulChill, TieTie, Pato, Yaahlan, amar and several other social and AI products. Coffee Meets Bagel Worldwide appears to have been quietly added to Hello Group’s portfolio. Coffee Meets Bagel split into two independently operated businesses in 2024 – CMB U.S. and CMB Worldwide. CMB Worldwide is now operated by Hello Group’s Singapore team, while CMB U.S. remains separate. No deal or acquisition was publicly announced.

Reminder: LTR 54 With Markus Frind Is Happening Tomorrow (Wednesday, Sep 2nd)

Posted on September 1, 2026

OPW – The next LTR online dating industry conference is tomorrow (September 2nd at 12 PM EST). Mark Brooks will interview Markus Frind, founder and former CEO of Plenty of Fish. This promises to be a fascinating conversation with one of the industry’s most successful founders. Don’t miss it!

If you hold a full-time leadership role at an online dating, social discovery, or matchmaking company, you are welcome to join LTR events for free.

Why attend LTR?

🏠 Flexible: Attend from anywhere – no travel required.
⏰ Convenient: Live session. 90 minutes.
💰 Free: No registration fees.

See the LTR Edition 54 speakers and invite page here.

This event is kindly sponsored by HubPeople, LeadThink, and Matchmaker.com.

Email mark@courtlandbrooks.com to RSVP.

Matthew Gain: How ParshipMeet Group Is Evolving in a Rapidly Changing Industry

Posted on September 1, 2026

LTR – In this conversation, Mark Brooks sits down with Matthew Gain, CEO of ParshipMeet Group, to explore how one of Europe’s leading dating companies is evolving in a rapidly changing industry.

Matthew shares his perspective on the unique dynamics of dating businesses, the evolution of brands such as eHarmony, Parship, ElitePartner, and MeetMe, and the growing opportunity in the 40+ dating market.

The conversation also dives into some of the biggest questions shaping dating today: how AI should and shouldn’t be used in the customer experience, the growing importance of trust and safety, the future of compatibility and matchmaking, and why authentic human connection remains at the heart of the industry.

[**See the video here on YouTube**]

The February LTR was kindly sponsored by HubPeople, LeadThink and Courtland Brooks

Looking for a CEO Successor? Check Your Board of Directors

Posted on August 31, 2026
Match Group Spencer Rascoff

INC –  When Match Group was looking for a new CEO, they chose Spencer Rascoff, one of their board directors, to run the company. Rascoff joined the board in March 2024. Previously, he was a cofounder and CEO of real estate platform Zillow and cofounder of discount booking site Hotwire. Match Group realized that those experiences made Rascoff an ideal candidate to lead the company. In February 2025, the board named him CEO, replacing Bernard Kim, who stepped down amid disappointing financial results and pressure from activist investors. A report suggests that companies often pluck CEOs from their boards when they don’t have a succession plan in place, but some experts believe a director can be the best choice to lead a company. To revive Tinder, Rascoff has increased marketing spend and product innovation speed. Under Rascoff, Match Group has also acquired HER, the dating app for queer women, and made a $100M investment in Sniffies, a map-based cruising platform for queer men.

See full article at INC

Daters Are Using LinkedIn to Screen Matches

Posted on August 31, 2026
LinkedIn

FORTUNE – Some users and matchmakers treat LinkedIn as a source for romantic prospects, even though the company explicitly prohibits members from using it to pursue them. A June Zety survey of  ~1K U.S. employees found that one in four believe it’s “fair game” for romantic advances. The survey also found that 22% had reached out or responded to someone on LinkedIn with romantic intent, while 12% had formed a romantic relationship that originated on LinkedIn. “With ~100M verified members, it’s not a surprise that people come to us,” the LinkedIn spokesperson said. “But LinkedIn is a platform for professional growth and career advancement, not finding a date.” Online daters also use LinkedIn as a vetting tool. Professional matchmakers recommend researching potential partners online, including scanning their LinkedIn profiles. 

See full article at Fortune

Grindr Targets Wealthy Users With $350 Monthly Subscription

Posted on August 31, 2026
Grindr logo

FINANCIAL TIMES – Grindr plans to make more money from wealthy users through higher-priced subscriptions. It is testing Edge, an AI-powered service costing up to $350 a month, and developing an even more expensive lifestyle and experiences product. Grindr had 15M monthly active users in Q2 2026, but only 1.4M were paying customers. The company expects at least $540M in revenue and $232M in adjusted earnings this year.

See full article at Financial Times

Online Dating Jobs Listing Update – August 2026

Posted on August 28, 2026
job offers

OPW – An update to the online dating jobs listing is live here.

Below, see a couple of this month’s most interesting offers:
Bumble – Creative Director
Ditto AI – Head of Product
FFN – Director of Finance and Accounting Operations
Grindr – Director of Product, Ads
Hinge – Director of AI, Dating Outcomes
Hornet – Brazil Country Manager
Match Group – VP of Product Management, Trust & Safety
Matrimony – CFO
Muzz – Head of Safety and Support
Reflex Media – VP of People
Social Discovery Ventures – CTO (Cupid Media)
Together Light – VP of Talent

Do you have an idating industry job offer that is not included? Please, send it to tips@onlinepersonalswatch.com and we will add it to the list.

Seeking Says Its AI Blocks Over 90% of Attempted Scams

Posted on August 28, 2026
Seeking.com

VICE – Romance scam reports increased 22% YOY, with reported losses exceeding $1.16B in the first nine months of 2025, according to the FTC. Seeking requires new users to complete AI-assisted selfie verification and analyzes behavioral signals associated with fraud. The company says the system blocks ~90% of suspected scammers before they can message other users and publishes some rejected profiles.

See full article at Vice

South Korean Matchmaker Duo Fined $250K Over False Claims

Posted on August 27, 2026
Duo logo

AJP – South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission fined matchmaking company Duo 345M won ($250K) for false or exaggerated advertising. Duo claimed to have the industry’s largest numbers of professionals and graduates from prestigious universities, but used its own definitions and provided no competitor data to support the claims. It also falsely described itself as Korea’s only externally audited matchmaking company and advertised up to 230 professional matchmakers when only 188 employees arranged matches. The regulator ordered Duo to correct the advertising.

See full article at AJP

Interview With Yeet on Building a Dating App Around Real-Time Chats

Posted on August 27, 2026
Yeet

VIRAL NATION – Yeet is a Gen Z dating app that lets people chat before deciding whether to match. Co-founder and head of marketing Penny Chen said many of its features came from feedback collected through Founder Club, a Discord group with around 2,000 members. Users complained about swipe fatigue, ghosting, and matches that went nowhere. Yeet responded with real-time Vibin’ Chats and an AI assistant that suggests icebreakers without taking over the conversation. The app has more than 90,000 downloads, and 62% of completed Vibin’ Chats result in a mutual match.

See full article at Viral Nation