Singapore launches government dating app as birth rate plunges

Singapore launches government dating app as birth rate plunges - The Washington Post

Accessibility statement

Democracy Dies in Darkness

SubscribeSign in

Democracy Dies in Darkness

WorldAsiaAfricaAmericasEuropeMiddle East

WorldAsiaAfricaAmericasEuropeMiddle East

The 7 logo

The 7

LIVE

Singapore launches government dating app as birth rate plunges

The city-state’s hands-on government helps with housing, health care, marriage, having kids and retirement. Add dating to the list.

October 1, 2026 at 8:15 a.m. EDT25 minutes ago

2 min

*A couple spreads a blanket for a picnic in Singapore in 2023. (David Goldman/AP)*

By Joshua Yang

Singapore’s government — long known for unabashed involvement in social behavior and private life — rolled out a pilot matchmaking service this month, as the country’s birth rate dwindles.

The app, called FirstDate, is open for now to government employees between 21 and 35. It uses the Nobel-recognized Gale-Shapley matching algorithm, in true technocratic form, to create pairings. Prospective lovebirds will be offered one match at a time, in contrast to mass-market dating apps like Tinder and Hinge, along with a “compatibility score.”

FirstDate is not the Singaporean government’s first foray into matchmaking. In 1984, the Social Development Unit, known as the SDU, was launched to offer opportunities for single men and women to interact. But its reputation struggled: For some unimpressed Singaporeans, the acronym became shorthand for “Single, Desperate and Ugly.”

Singapore, like many countries, is grappling with an aging population and low birth rate, a inverse trend after years of trying to bring down rates earlier in its development trajectory. In recent years, the government has offered increasingly generous financial packages to new parents.

So far, as in most other places, such policies show little sign of reversing the downward trend. In 2025, Singapore’s total fertility rate fell to 0.87 births per woman, from 0.97 in 2024 and well below the population replacement rate of 2.1.

*Catch up quickly every weekday morning with a rundown of the 7 most important and interesting stories.* *Sign up for The 7 newsletter**.*

Danielle Douglas-Gabriel October 1, 2026

Todd Wallack October 1, 2026

Jamie Ross and Izin Akhabau October 1, 2026

Todd Frankel September 30, 2026

Sarah Kaplan September 30, 2026

Cat Zakrzewski September 30, 2026

Riley Beggin September 30, 2026

Evan Halper September 30, 2026

Jake Spring and Stephanie Apstein September 30, 2026

Cat Zakrzewski September 30, 2026

NewsletterAs news breaks

World News Alerts

Breaking news email alerts for major happenings around the world.

Company

* About The Post
* Newsroom Policies & Standards
* WP Creative Group
* Workforce Demographics
* Careers
* Media & Community Relations
* Accessibility Statement

Sections

* Trending
* Politics
* Elections
* Opinions
* U.S. News
* World
* Style
* Sports
* Business
* Climate
* Well+Being
* D.C., Md., & Va.
* Obituaries
* Weather
* Arts & Entertainment
* Recipes

Get The Post

* WP Intelligence
* Enterprise Subscriptions
* Manage Your Subscription
* Become a Subscriber
* Gift Subscriptions
* Mobile & Apps
* Newsletters & Alerts
* Washington Post Live
* Reprints & Permissions
* Post Store
* Books & E-Books
* Print Archives (Subscribers Only)
* Today’s Paper
* Public Notices
* Crosswords & Games
* Download on iOS
* Download on Android

Contact Us

* Contact the Newsroom
* Contact Customer Care
* Contact the Opinions Team
* Advertise
* Licensing & Syndication
* Request a Correction
* Send a News Tip
* Report a Vulnerability

Terms of Use

* Digital Products Terms of Sale
* Print Products Terms of Sale
* Terms of Service
* Privacy Policy
* Cookie Settings
* Submissions & Discussion Policy
* RSS Terms of Service
* Sitemap
* Ad Choices
* Your Privacy Choices

washingtonpost.com © 1996-2026 The Washington Post

* WP Intelligence
* Ask The Post AI
* WP Creative Group
* Workforce Demographics
* Careers
* Media & Community Relations
* Accessibility Statement

* Trending
* Politics
* Elections
* Opinions
* U.S. News
* World
* Style
* Sports
* Business
* Climate
* Well+Being
* D.C., Md., & Va.
* Obituaries
* Weather
* Arts & Entertainment
* Recipes

* WP Intelligence
* Enterprise Subscriptions
* Manage Your Subscription
* Become a Subscriber
* Gift Subscriptions
* Mobile & Apps
* Newsletters & Alerts
* Washington Post Live
* Reprints & Permissions
* Post Store
* Books & E-Books
* Print Archives (Subscribers Only)
* Today’s Paper
* Public Notices
* Crosswords & Games
* Download on iOS
* Download on Android

* Contact the Newsroom
* Contact Customer Care
* Contact the Opinions Team
* Advertise
* Licensing & Syndication
* Request a Correction
* Send a News Tip
* Report a Vulnerability
* Download the Washington Post App

* About The Post
* Policies & Standards
* Digital Products Terms of Sale
* Print Products Terms of Sale
* Terms of Service
* Privacy Policy
* Cookie Settings
* Submissions & Discussion Policy
* RSS Terms of Service
* Sitemap
* Ad Choices
* Your Privacy Choices

* washingtonpost.com
* © 1996-2026 The Washington Post

5.63.0

!pixel