Here's What the 2025 Dating Scene Looks Like, According to Bumble
Dating app Bumble dubbed year 2024 as the year of self. Trends showed a positive shift toward self-empowerment—"rejecting the constant quest for perfection, discarding outdated timelines, and placing more value on emotional vulnerability and shared priorities."
For 2025, its research involving over 40,000 Gen Z and millennial Bumble users, including those from the Philippines, indicates that dating is evolving positively. Year 2025 is expected to be a transitional year, with women very clear about what they want and need, and what they are no longer willing to tolerate when it comes to dating and relationships, said Bumble.
Single people haven’t given up on finding a relationship; in fact they are more determined, with nearly three out of four (72 percent) looking to find a long-term partner in the coming year. But the level of tolerance has shifted, with nearly two in three women (64 percent) saying they are being more honest with themselves and no longer making compromises.
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In its 2025 predictions, Bumble outlines these dating trends:
Micro-mance: No doubt about it, singles desire romance in 2025. But instead of grand gestures, people are embracing romance through, well, "micro-mance"—meaning, they express love through smaller gestures with big impact. These include sending memes, a playlist, or sharing inside jokes or morning coffee walks. On Bumble, "The quickest way to my heart is" is one of the top prompts globally, underscoring the trend's popularity.
DWM (Date With Me): From dating GRWM’s (get ready with me), live-streamed break-ups, post-date debriefs, hard launches, relationship "tests," and Dating Wrapped (a TikTok trend where users share statistics about their dating lives for the year), dating has become our new favorite reality show, says Bumble. Three in five (66 percent) Filipino singles are celebrating more authentic dating and relationship content showing not only the highs but also the lows. This shift toward more transparent and shared dating experiences is having a positive impact with 44 percent of women in the Philippines 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. More than half of Filipino singles (56 percent) state that realistic, positive dating content leads to optimism about their own love lives.
On the Same (Fan) Page: More than half (56 percent) of Filipino singles surveyed say unique and quirky interests are now key to attraction. Yes, participating in activities and social communities can actually make you more attractive, and for almost two in three Filipino women (62 percent), 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 more than half (52 percent) of Gen Z singles in the Philippines agree that geeking out on something together is a form of intimacy. Bumble recently launched more than 30 new interest badges such as trivia, thrifting, cold plunging, crocheting, and house plants to celebrate the many unique interests of its global community. You can now also filter by your chosen interests on the app as well.
Male Casting: From babygirl, to men in finance, and the return of the hunk and gym rats, male archetypes have exploded in pop culture with a wider conversation on how we identify ideal (or less ideal) characteristics. Two in five (44 percent) Filipinos agree that this year, more than ever, there have been more conversations on male stereotypes. But are these helpful or a hindrance in dating? Much like the experience of women, almost one in three (29%) Filipino men say these tropes can create false assumptions about their character and intentions. As we head into 2025, a majority of Filipino women (61%) agree that the conversation on masculinity needs to evolve to allow men to define what positive masculinity looks like individually.
Future-Proofing: In today’s world, uncertainties about the future—whether it’s finances, job security, housing, or climate change—is affecting our love lives. An overwhelming majority of singles globally (95 percent) say their worries about the future are impacting who and how they date. For a significant portion (65 percent) of Filipino women, increasing concerns about the future lead them to place more value on stability, seeking a partner who is emotionally consistent, reliable, and has clear goals in life. Looking ahead, singles can expect these conversations to be more prominent from the beginning, with 27 percent of women worldwide pushing to discuss these topics earlier than before. This will lead to candid conversations about budgeting, housing, climate change, and job ambitions.
Guys That Get It: The "guy best friend" is becoming an essential part of the dating support network. About 31 percent of single women globally are now more open with male friends about their dating lives, reflecting a healthy engagement between genders. Among Filipino women, 34 percent ask male friends to vet potential dates, and 58 percent depend on them to interpret male behavior.
“What we’re seeing is a big shift towards realness, people are being increasingly more transparent, future-proofing themselves, and taking the time to find somebody to support their unique interests, before committing to a relationship," says Chen Meihui, APAC Communications Lead at Bumble. "Regardless of whether they are looking for something casual, something serious, or something in between, these trends reflect what we’ve heard from our community, which is that they are looking for engaging conversations that lead to authentic real life connections.”
