The service, called FirstDate, uses the Gale-Shapley algorithm, developed by economists Lloyd Shapley and David Gale, to match participants with one potential partner at a time.
According to the BBC, users access the platform through Singapore’s national digital identity system and complete a questionnaire covering their interests, lifestyles and values.
The initiative has generated mixed reactions. While some critics have described the government-backed dating service as “dystopian”, others have welcomed it as a potentially safer alternative to conventional dating applications.
The launch comes amid growing demographic concerns in Singapore. Fewer than 30,000 babies were born in the country in 2025, marking the first time births had fallen below that level in six decades. About 26,500 deaths were recorded during the same year.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced additional measures to support families in August, including financial assistance of nearly S$70,000 for each child by the age of 17.
Singapore has previously introduced government-backed initiatives aimed at encouraging relationships and marriage as part of efforts to address its declining fertility rate.
Other countries facing similar demographic challenges have explored technology-based approaches. Tokyo, for example, introduced an AI-powered dating application in 2024 in an effort to encourage people to form relationships.
It is not yet clear whether FirstDate will eventually be made available to members of the wider public.
