Juicy new dating trend booming in Australia, 2025 Bumble report reveals
Intimate details that were once private are now at the centre of a growing relationship trend, according to a new dating report.
Forget celebrity relationships or reality TV shows – new data shows Australians are more interested in the real-life drama of modern dating than old school romance.
From dating GRWMs (get ready with me), live-streamed break-ups, post-date debriefs and the increasingly popular Dating Wrapped, the increase in unfiltered dating content is dramatically on the rise.
Almost half of Aussie singles (41 per cent) admit to enjoying the authentic dating and relationship content, according to the 2025 annual report from Bumble, which not only shows the highs but also the lows, and serves as a “window” to the broader dating experience.
The shift towards more transparent, shared dating experiences is having a positive impact on singles, the popular dating app said, with 44 per cent of Australian women feeling less self-conscious and lonely as a result.
While one in three of the 40,000 millennial and Gen Z users polled said the new dating trend provides a realistic snapshot of modern romance and leads to optimism about their own love lives.
“There is such a diverse array of dating experiences out there, that I think people are really drawn to content that makes them feel seen and heard,” Lucille McCart, the dating app’s communications director, told news.com.au.
“What I really like about the explosion of dating content in Australia is that it is showcasing the highs and lows of dating, which is an incredibly vulnerable experience.
“This is a net positive because it helps people feel less alone, highlights potentially shady behaviour to watch out for, but also celebrates love and romance.”
DWM is 2025’s biggest new dating trend
In fact, the movement is growing so rapidly, Bumble has dubbed it the “Date With Me” trend, and is predicting it will be even more relevant in the coming 12 months.
“For people who are willing to share intimate details of their love life online, they find community and support – there are very few experiences that aren’t shared by at least one other person, and it is nice to know that you aren’t the only one who might have experienced something wild, crazy or funny,” Ms McCart said.
“For some of the lighter content, like people asking for help choosing the perfect date night outfit, it’s also affirming to know that your audience agrees that jeans and a nice top is the winning pick.”
However, Ms McCart warned that anyone sharing personal details of their lives online needs to take care when doing so, adding Bumble offers a range of different safety tools within its app.
“Like anything online, be careful what you share and who you are sharing it with,” she said.
“Once you’ve opened a door it can be hard to close it, and you don’t want your audience to feel like they are entitled to information about your life that you might not want to share.
“Be mindful of your safety too – you should always tell a friend where you are going on a date, but maybe not everyone on TikTok – as well as your privacy, and consider the safety and privacy of the people you may be talking about having experiences with as well.”
Why are Aussies so ‘fascinated’ by real-life dating?
Ms McCart described the process of finding a partner as “one of the most fascinating experiences we go through as people”, adding that it reveals so much of what is interesting about human behaviour.
“Plus we are all a bit nosy,” she told news.com.au.
“When I watch shows like Love Island, it’s not just the hot people and funny antics I’m watching for – I’m always enthralled watching the interpersonal dynamics play out, and having a behind the curtain peek at the conversations and challenges that take place when people are navigating romantic feelings, sexual attraction and romance.
“I think all of this applies to hearing about dating online, and is the same reason that the single friend at the girls lunch is always asked to entertain the table with their dating stories – it’s interesting and we want to know about it whether we are single or not.”
Other new dating trends that Bumble has identified
One of the other standout trends that has emerged recently is the rise of daters “Future-Proofing” their love life.
This new dating phenomenon refers to an increase in singles who are worried about the future for a number of reasons, with a staggering 95 per cent of people who are currently dating stating it is impacting who and how they date.
As a result, topics that were once deemed too “taboo” to mention on a first date, such as job security, budgeting and housing, have been identified as top dating considerations with one-in-three women “pushing” these conversations to be discussed earlier into a relationship than before. The widespread concern about finances also sparked a rise in the low/no cost date, such as a walk in the park, a coffee, or a trip to the beach as many Aussies can no longer afford more traditional date options.
Micro-mance
There has also been a spike in women wanting to be wooed with smaller, more thoughtful gestures rather than the OTT declarations of love we’re used to seeing on social media, Bumble said.
Micro-mance, a combination of “micro” and “romance,” consists of simple gestures to show that you care.
But this doesn’t mean you can skip out on making an effort — people still want romance. More than half of women surveyed (53 per cent) are self-proclaimed romantics who love love, and 1 in 3 women respondents shared that a lack of romance had a negative impact on their dating life.
The difference in 2025 will be the focus on small gestures rather than grand ones. A majority of singles surveyed (86 per cent) said that “micro-mance” behaviours such as sending memes, sharing a playlist or having inside jokes is the new way to show affection.
Male-casting
Discussion about different male stereotypes and an interrogation of traditional masculinity has become an important topic in modern dating.
Over half of women surveyed (53 per cent) agreed that these conversations would continue into the new year, having a huge impact on dating.
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