Tinder’s 2025 Year in Swipe report reveals Gen Z are ‘done’ with common dating act
It’s something older generations would never have done when dating, but 18-25-year-old singles are “done” with past traditions.
Not knowing where you stand and mixed messages have been common dating struggles shared by many – but young Aussies have had enough.
Today’s singles are officially “done” with the confusing mind games, and are instead choosing a different path on their quest for love.
New data shows young people are now “more open, honest, and emotionally fluent than ever”, spawning a new dating trend dubbed “clear-coding” by Tinder in its 2025 Year in Swipe report.
“The current dating vibe is simple: say what you mean or get left on read,” Sera Bozza, Tinder’s resident dating expert, told news.com.au.
“For the first time in years, dating looks less like a game and more like a conversation. Young Aussie daters are showing up as themselves: values, quirks, hot takes and all. And it’s creating connection you can actually build on.”
What is clear-coding?
Ms Bozza said the new transparent dating trend is “Gen Z officially tapping out of mind-reading”.
“When someone tells you upfront what they want, it saves everyone time, energy, and the headnoise of overanalysing every ‘lol’.”
Kirsty Dunn, Tinder’s director of communications in Australia, agreed, describing 2025 as a “cultural reset in dating”.
“Singles moved away from overcomplication and embraced clarity, confidence, and emotional honesty,” she told news.com.au.
“We’re seeing this shift come to life and continue into the year ahead through trends like ‘clear-coding’, where transparency and self-expression became the ultimate green flags.”
The popular dating app backed it up with numbers after surveying 4000 18-25 year olds who are actively dating in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.
It revealed that 64 per cent of young Australians state emotional honesty is “what dating needs most”, while 73 per cent admitted they know they like someone when they can be themselves.
“It’s clear that authenticity is now the expectation, whether daters are looking for long-term relationships, or even a casual hook-up,” Ms Dunn added.
“As we look toward 2026, dating is becoming more values-driven and socially supported.”
Other trends identified in Tinder’s annual dating report support this, pointing to a “broader cultural movement toward alignment, accountability and connection that feels real”.
‘Emotional Vibe Coding’
Tinder said daters in 2026 will be showing they want meaningful chemistry without emotional overcomplication.
The stats reflect this, with 56 per cent declaring “honest conversations matter most” to them, while 45 per cent said they want more empathy after rejection.
Interestingly, despite the fact many find online dating a tough experience, “hopeful” has come out as the top word to describe dating in the future.
“In short, hope is hot, and singles aren’t afraid to show it,”
‘Hot-take dating’
Another development this year was that attraction starts with having opinions.
“Having no stance is now the biggest ick. In dating today, if you stand for nothing, people feel nothing, with Tinder’s Hot-Take Dating trend shows that being neutral is outdated,” said Ms Bozza.
“People want to align on the things that matter to them (values, money, lifestyle, politics) but it’s not about matching opinions, it’s about matching depth.
“Gen Z is more open than ever; they just want to date someone with a point of view.”
So standing for something has emerged as a deal breaker for young singles, with 37 per cent stating that shared values are essential in dating.
And while 41 per cent said they wouldn’t date someone with opposite political views, nearly half (46 per cent) reckon they’d still consider it, though women (35 per cent) are far less open to it than men (60 per cent).
“This isn’t about being divisive, it’s about being authentic. Daters are proudly matching on principles, from equality to empathy,” said Ms Dunn.
The top dealbreakers? Racial justice (37 per cent), family views (36 per cent), and LGBTQ+ rights (32 per cent).
And when it comes to values, kindness still tops the list with 54 per cent saying being rude to staff is their biggest ick.
“Emotional honesty and a genuine sense of vulnerability isn’t cringe anymore, it’s currency,” Ms Bozza said.
“Heading into 2026, the shift is obvious. Less over-curating the perfect version of yourself and more ‘here’s who I actually am, take it or leave it’.
“And best of all, hope is back, and it’s no longer embarrassing to admit it.”
Originally published as Tinder’s 2025 Year in Swipe report reveals Gen Z are ‘done’ with common dating act
