1 in 3 singles in Southeast Asia's lowest-fertility nation would use government's dating site if eligible

Nearly half of single Gen Z Singaporeans, and about a third of all singles in the city-state, would likely use the government's FirstDate dating pilot if they were eligible, a YouGov survey shows.

The figures, from YouGov Singapore's Consumer Sentiment Tracker released on Nov. 3, put the share at 49% among single Gen Z respondents, against 28% of single millennials, 23% of Gen X and 8% of baby boomers.

Across all single respondents, 31% said they would be likely to use FirstDate if eligible, while 39% said they would be unlikely to.

Singapore's total fertility rate fell to a record low of 0.87 last year, down from 0.97 in 2024 and 1.24 a decade prior, making it the country with the lowest birthrate in Southeast Asia.

FirstDate, developed by the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), began on Sept. 29 as a pilot for unmarried public officers aged 21 to 35. Its website now lists an age range of 21 to 45 and says sign-ups reopen on Nov. 11.

Users verify their identity through Singpass, Singapore's national digital ID, and answer a questionnaire on their interests, habits, values and preferences. The platform then pairs them using the Gale-Shapley stable marriage algorithm, offering one match per cycle and sharing contact details only if both people accept within three days.

GovTech told The Straits Times that FirstDate grew out of its annual hackathon, was not commissioned by another agency and would not match participants with colleagues from the same agency. "No decision has been made on whether to launch or expand FirstDate beyond the pilot stage," it said.

Overall, 44% of respondents supported the government offering similar matchmaking services to help singles meet partners, with support highest among Gen Z at 56%, against 43% of millennials, 42% of Gen X and 38% of baby boomers. Another 38% were neutral and 8% opposed the idea.

Among opponents, 61% said dating and relationships were a personal matter, 56% said the government should focus on issues such as the cost of living and work-life balance, and 38% felt public funds would be better spent on other priorities.

A couple at a cafe. Photo by Unsplash/Matt W Newman

Asked which features would make them more likely to use a government-supported dating service, 42% of respondents chose verified identities to reduce fake profiles, 35% matching based on shared values, interests and lifestyles, and 26% strong privacy protections, while 17% picked availability to a broader range of singles beyond public officers.

Among single respondents, 50% cited independence as a reason for being single and 42% said they had yet to find someone compatible, a reason given by 54% of single Gen Z.

Asked why more young adults are staying unmarried, singles most often pointed to a preference for independence and personal fulfillment and to a focus on career, personal goals and financial stability, each cited by 47%, followed by difficulty finding a compatible partner at 37%.

Gen Z singles were the most likely to cite career, personal goals and financial stability, at 57%, and 24% of them pointed to disappointing experiences with modern dating and dating apps.

Singlehood is rising among Singapore residents under 40, the Department of Statistics' General Household Survey 2025 found, with the share of never-married men aged 30 to 34 climbing to 47.6% from 41.9% in 2020 and that of women aged 25 to 29 to 73.4% from 69%.

"The findings suggest that while alternative matchmaking services may appeal to some singles, they need to align with people's expectations around compatibility, personal choice and how they want to approach relationships," Chi Wei Teo, general manager of YouGov Singapore, said in remarks carried by CNA.

The survey is based on responses from 1,112 Singaporean adults aged 18 and above collected in October, YouGov said.