Dating apps are often treated like cultural mirrors, and according to Feeld’s latest year-end report, people spent 2025 getting a lot more comfortable with fluidity, experimentation and redefining intimacy on their own terms.
The dating platform released Feeld Raw 2025, its annual breakdown of member behavior and trends, revealing a sharp rise in people exploring sexuality, pleasure and nontraditional relationship dynamics. Among the biggest findings? Heteroflexible became the app’s fastest-growing sexuality, increasing 193% over the past year.
The report paints a picture of users moving away from rigid labels and leaning into curiosity instead.
“These changes speak to the growing awareness that sexuality is complex,” Dr. Luke Brunning, lecturer in applied ethics at the University of Leeds, said in the report. “If anything, it would be surprising if people were never sexually curious about people of their own sex or gender, or if attraction worked in neat and predictable ways.”
Sexuality Labels Continue To Shift
Feeld’s data found that members frequently moved between identifying as straight and heteroflexible, suggesting many users are treating identity as something more fluid rather than fixed.
Millennials led much of the growth, though Gen Z appears to be catching up quickly. New York City also saw a 161% rise in bisexual users, reflecting broader cultural shifts around rejecting one-size-fits-all labels.
The app, which has long marketed itself toward people exploring relationships outside traditional dating norms, says the findings point to a wider mainstream embrace of sexual exploration.
Pleasure Conversations Are Changing Too
One of the report’s more eyebrow-raising statistics involved pegging, which increased 200% among cisgender men on the app.
At the same time, “toys” became one of Feeld members’ fastest-growing interests overall, rising 400%.
Rather than framing those trends as shock value, the report positions them as part of evolving conversations around masculinity, intimacy and pleasure.
“Men may also be appreciating how toys can enhance pleasure and intimacy, rather than threaten it,” Brunning said.
The findings arrive after a year when conversations about sex positivity became increasingly visible online and in pop culture. Feeld specifically pointed to moments like Harry Styles entering the sex toy market and viral discussions surrounding women’s sports star Lucy Bronze as examples of cultural touchpoints that fueled curiosity among users.
The Internet’s Horniest Cities Have Been Crowned
Feeld’s annual “sexual map” also highlighted which cities led the world in various interests and relationship dynamics.
Berlin earned multiple distinctions, including the city with the highest percentage of open relationships and the title of “most heteroflexible” city.
Meanwhile:
- Miami was named the “Pegging Capital”
- Boston became the “Edging Capital”
- San Francisco took the title for “Role Play Capital”
- Mumbai ranked as the global “Cuddling Capital”
Brazil also dominated the app’s so-called “vanilla” rankings, with São Paulo leading the category.
The Pacific Northwest made a strong showing as well, with Portland and Seattle ranking highest for users identifying as tops, bottoms, switches and submissives.
Gen Z Is Bringing Sports Into Dating
Another unexpected trend involved athletics.
According to Feeld, sports-related interests occupied eight of Gen Z’s top 10 fastest-growing categories. Activities including tennis, soccer, basketball and fitness saw growth ranging from 300% to 600%.
Rather than separating dating from hobbies, younger users appear increasingly interested in combining movement, wellness and social connection.
“Feeld Raw offers a unique look at how intimacy and identity are evolving,” Dina Mohammad-Laity, Feeld’s vice president of data, said in a statement. “We’re seeing a surge in people exploring connection and playfulness in authentic, fluid ways, redefining what it means to be seen and to connect in 2025.”
Founded in 2014, Feeld has built its reputation around serving people interested in exploring nontraditional relationships and identities. The platform currently offers more than 20 sexuality and gender options for users.
If the company’s latest data is any indication, curiosity is no longer living on the fringes. It’s becoming the norm.
