Birth Number Down, Singapore Create ASN Special Date Applications

Finding a couple through a dating app can be a exhausting experience, starting from choosing a profile to having a first date that leads without clarity. The Singapore government is trying to offer an alternative to a special dating app for civilian apparatus of the state.

The application called FirstDate was developed by the Government Technology Agency of Singapore and began to be tested in September 2026. The use is restricted to government employees aged 21-35.

FirstDate was present when Singapore faced a continued decline in birth rate. The total fertility rate or total fertility rate of the country reached its lowest record, which is 0.87 in 2025.

Through this application, the Singapore government is trying to help the singles to find matching couples based on their interests, life values, and preferences.

To quote South China Morning Post, FirstDate users are asked to fill out a survey of interest and values that they consider important in relationships.

That information was then treated to use an algorithm to recommend an appropriate graded partner.

The algorithm used to be developed based on an economic approach that also delivered one of its creators to Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2012.

Contrary to dating applications that allow users to continue shifting profiles to find a partner, FirstDate brought together a participant with one potential partner in each matching cycle.

One matching cycle lasts about a month. First wave registration was closed on October 5, 2026, after an e-mail invitation was sent to a government employee a week earlier.

However, GovTech has not decided whether the application will be expanded to the general public. The number of government employees who meet the criteria of this application's user is also not announced.

According to the Singapore government's work portal, the number of public service employees in the country reached about 158,000 people per March 2026.

This isn't the first time the Singapore government has settled its citizens. So, the Singapore government's efforts to help its citizens find a partner are not new.

In 1984, the government formed the Social Development Unit to bring university graduates together through various activities. A year later, Social Development Section was formed for people with the qualifications of middle education.

Both institutions were then combined in 2009 into Social Development Network. The goal is to expand the chances of single citizens meeting and connecting.

Singapore isn't the only Asian country trying to help its citizens find a partner in the middle of a drop in birth rate.

In 2024, Japan launched a government-backed dating app. The user is required to prove the seriousness of marriage, verify income, and run interviews with the manager of the application.

According to the Japanese government's data, until June 2026, the application has already recorded 16 thousand registrators. A total of 760 couples are reported to be in serious relationships, while 265 couples have married.

South Korea also tried a different approach. In 2024, the Seoul City Government held a meeting program for the singles through the designated activities, including an outdoor meal by the Han River.

The program brought together 126 couples. The next edition held in 2026 was even interesting over 2,300 registered 25-45 years in exchange for 100 places.