Match Group Invests $100M in LGBTQ Dating App Sniffies, Eyes Acquisition

Match Group, which owns Tinder and Hinge, is investing $100 million in Sniffies, a location-based dating app for LGBTQ men, with the option to buy it outright later. The staged deal lets Match access Sniffies' users and technology while keeping the app independent—a move that protects what makes it appealing to its community. It reflects a broader trend: large dating platforms acquire niche competitors rather than build rivals from scratch.