The Singapore government has entered the dating chat

• Singapore is testing a government-backed matchmaking service for public officers aged 21 to 35.
• Three Singapore singles, who aren’t part of the pilot, told Business Insider what dating in the city-state is like.
• Across Asia, governments are trying AI, events, and financial incentives to help people pair up.

Singapore’s government is trying to play matchmaker for its own workforce.

FirstDate, a pilot for eligible public officers ages 21 to 35, uses an algorithm to introduce potential matches. Singapore’s public service employs about 158,000 people — roughly four-fifths the size of Google’s global workforce.

It’s an attempt to make dating a little bit easier in a country confronting a record-low fertility rate of 0.87 in 2025.

Singapore singles have no shortage of ways to meet people. Alongside apps like Tinder, Hinge, and Coffee Meets Bagel, there are also local matchmaking services such as Kopi Date, which sets up one-on-one coffee meetups, as well as dating agencies including Lunch Actually and GaiGai.

For many, finding a partner can have implications beyond romance.

Almost 80% of Singapore residents live in public housing, known as HDB flats. Single citizens generally must be 35 to apply to buy one on their own. In a household survey published in November 2025, 66.3% of never-married citizens ages 21 to 34 said they lived with immediate family.

GovTech, the government agency running the pilot, declined to share further details with Business Insider. It told The Straits Times that no decision had been made on whether to launch or expand the service beyond the pilot. Applications for the first round closed on Monday, and signups for the next cycle open on October 20.

FirstDate, which grew out of a company hackathon, uses a Nobel-prize-winning framework called the Gale-Shapley algorithm to generate potential pairings based on participants’ questionnaire responses.

Business Insider spoke with three singles in Singapore — who aren’t part of the pilot — about what it’s like to date in the city-state. Their experiences reflect the tension many navigate while dating: practical expectations alongside the hope of a genuine connection.

Tan Jie Hao, 26

Tan Jie Hao, 26, has tried dating apps, singles mixers, and even a dating show. But he says he’s comfortable remaining single unless he finds a strong match — and, for now, sees financial upsides to it.

Tan, an actor and content creator, lives with family and says he’s generally comfortable spending up to $100 Singapore dollars, or $78, on a date, though he may spend more on a first date to make an impression. Without a partner, he said, he can invest money he might otherwise spend on gifts, dates, and romantic gestures.

He still uses dating apps because they are the most practical way to meet people, even though he has better luck forming connections offline.

“Personally, I do find that I have much more success developing attraction for someone from organic, real-life encounters, but opportunities for that are much more limited,” Tan said.

He said he was “curious about the efficacy and accuracy” of FirstDate’s matchmaking algorithm, but thought the service could be “the push” that helps some people put themselves out there.

Cheryl Dee, 26

Cheryl Dee, 26, a social media manager who also runs jelly-cake and nail-salon side businesses, said dating in Singapore can feel quite practical.

“People naturally look at things like your career, education, lifestyle, or overall background when deciding whether someone might be compatible with them,” she said.

Dee, who is single and lives with a roommate, values the freedom to spend on travel, clothes, and other priorities without having to consider a partner’s budget. Still, she said, sharing financial responsibilities with a partner can make long-term goals, such as buying a home and planning for the future, easier to achieve.

Rather than a matchmaking service like FirstDate, Dee said she would like to see more support for spaces where people can meet organically, such as interest groups, sports clubs, and workshops.

“I feel that those environments allow you to observe someone more naturally — how they interact with other people, what their personality is like, and whether you actually enjoy spending time together,” she said.

Rae Fung, 29

Rae Fung, speaking coach and founder of a communication-coaching business, said that dating in Singapore can sometimes feel “like a job interview,” rather than a chance to simply enjoy the process of getting to know someone.

Fung lives with her family, and with no plans to have kids in the future, she said she feels less pressure to make certain long-term financial plans.

“I get to do everything I want to do as a single woman — traveling, building the business of my dreams, eating good food, and socializing or attending events,” she said. “I have a very full life, and I earn the money I need to fund it.”

Dating apps have helped her meet people outside her usual circles, though she finds the swiping process tiring and prefers to get a sense of someone in person.

If a service like FirstDate were ever extended beyond public officers, Fung said limiting it to Singaporeans could feel restrictive for those who want to date across different cultures.

Governments are getting into the dating game

Singapore is not alone in trying to help singles meet. Across parts of Asia, governments confronting later marriage and low birth rates are taking a more active role in matchmaking.

Tokyo launched a government-run AI matchmaking app in 2024. As of August, the service recorded about 17,000 registered members, with 835 couples in serious relationships and 316 marriages. In 2025, Tokyo recorded its first rise in births in nine years, though Japan’s national fertility rate continued to decline.

Some local governments in South Korea are also pairing matchmaking events with direct financial incentives. In Busan, couples who meet through a government event can receive cash support as they move from dating toward marriage, including 20 million won, or around $14,800, in congratulatory money and either a 30 million won housing deposit or monthly-rent assistance for up to five years.

In Taiwan, the Ministry of the Interior holds regular matchmaking events for single adults. Its 2026 program includes cycling excursions, lake tours, and overnight trips.