2024 was the year of nano-relationships

The use of dating apps in Mexico is on the rise, according to data from Statista in the country the number of users of these services increased from 3.5 to 5.5 million between 2017 and 2023. The forecast for this year is that the number will rise to 5.6 million.

Data from 2022 from said consultancy indicate that 30.2% of people who use these services are looking for a formal relationship; 28.9% are inclined towards a casual sexual encounter; 29.1% use them to make friends; 7.9% are looking for partners for a specific activity and 3.9% want to have unconventional sexual relations such as threesomes or orgies.

According to the study “Love in the Times of Telecom” by The CIU, it indicates that in Mexico, 14.7% of Internet users met their partner through a digital medium. Of the total, 88.6% made use of social networks and instant messaging services, while 11.4% are with their current partner, through downloading and using specialized dating platforms.

Tinder points out that although its users are increasingly looking for more serious and long-lasting relationships, assumptions to the contrary still dominate the scene. The company’s Green Flags study found that 65% of women believed men were looking for “casual hookups,” but only 29% of them said that’s what they wanted.

The company anticipates that by knowing this data, the trend will change so that consumers of its service are clearer about what they want next year.

Dating expectations

According to the firm, its users will move away from the strict “rules” of dating and immerse themselves in “authentic and spontaneous” connections. As examples, 40% of those surveyed plan to prioritize a “sweaty walk” in 2025, that is, physical activities outdoors, while another 34% will prefer to take ceramics classes.

Users of the app also pointed out that no romantic connection is too small to enter the dating world, thus emerging the trend of nano-relationships, which is expected to persist until 2025.

“2024 showed us that even the smallest romantic moments can be meaningful. In 2025, we can expect nano-relationships to continue to thrive and singles to enjoy the fun of these micro-connections as they search for their ‘forever,’” the company noted.

The 2024 results also revealed that friendships have become one of the pillars of emotional support for dating, since nearly 60% of those surveyed asked them for advice, almost 20% asked a friend to preselect their date by casting a look at their social media profiles.

Over the next year, approximately 50% of respondents said they plan to rely on their friends to navigate the world of online dating.

Regarding what people who use Tinder give more importance to, 40% said trust; 35% to physical attraction; 31% to shared values; 30% to emotional availability and 28% to similar tastes.

But there are also things that make people say “thanks but no”, 50% gave lack of hygiene as the main reason; 44% said rudeness and 34% said they talked too much about their ex.