Hello Group Buys Majority Stake in Amsterdam Dating App Inner Circle

China's Hello Group has bought a majority stake in Inner Circle, a dating app based in Amsterdam. The app has nearly 9 million members.

Inner Circle will continue to operate from Amsterdam and keep its own brand. That means users should not expect the service to be folded into another product or renamed as a result of the deal.

Why it matters

The transaction links a Chinese company with a European dating service and shows continued interest in the online dating market across borders. Keeping the brand and the Amsterdam base suggests Hello Group intends to build on the existing product rather than replace it.

Financial terms, including the price and the exact size of the stake, were not part of the information available at the time of writing.

What comes next

Further details on the ownership structure, management and plans for the app have not yet been disclosed.