# BlueCity Holdings

> Source: https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/companies/bluecity-holdings | Publisher: Dating Industry Insights (High Intent Media Inc) | Last checked: 2026-10-20


**In short:** BlueCity Holdings is a Beijing-based company behind Blued, a dating and social app for gay men in China, founded by Ma Baoli. It listed on Nasdaq and went private in a deal announced in May 2022 at US$1.60 per ADS, valuing it at about US$60 million.

## Key facts

- Type: Dating platform
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Status: Acquired
- Founder: Founded by Ma Baoli, also known as Geng Le, who set up the Danlan message board in 2000 and later created Blued, launched in 2012 (2012) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blued_(app))
- Headquarters: Headquartered in Beijing, China (2022) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blued_(app))
- Acquisition: Agreed to go private in an all cash deal at US$1.60 per ADS, an equity value of about US$60 million, with a buyer group of Baoli Ma, Metaclass Management ELP and the CDH entities (2022-05-03) [source](https://www.globaldatinginsights.com/news/bluecity-agrees-to-go-private-with-plan-of-merger/)
- Acquisition: Merger completed on 12 August 2022, making BlueCity a wholly owned subsidiary of Multelements Limited and delisting it from Nasdaq (2022-08-12) [source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blued_(app))
- Fact: Described as the Beijing-based operator of Blued, delisted from Nasdaq in 2023 (2026-03-03) [source](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/malaysia-blocks-grindr-blued-websites)

## About

BlueCity Holdings is the Beijing-based operator of Blued, a dating and social app for gay men. Its founder is Ma Baoli, also known as Geng Le, a former police officer in Hebei who set up the Danlan message board in 2000 and later created Blued, which launched in 2012. Wikipedia reports figures for Blued including more than 27 million registered users and 6.4 million monthly users in 2020, and the metrics vary by date and measure. BlueCity listed American depositary shares on Nasdaq. In May 2022 it agreed to go private in an all cash deal at US$3.20 per share, or US$1.60 per ADS, implying an equity value of about US$60 million. The buyer group was made up of Baoli Ma, who was chairman and chief executive, Metaclass Management ELP and the CDH entities. Wikipedia reports that the merger completed on 12 August 2022, when BlueCity became a wholly owned subsidiary of Multelements Limited and was delisted from Nasdaq. Dating Industry Insights describes BlueCity as the Beijing-based operator of Blued, delisted from Nasdaq, in its coverage of Malaysia's block on Grindr and Blued.


## Stories about BlueCity Holdings

- [Apple's China Compliance: A Death Knell for Gay Dating Apps?](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/apple-pulls-china-gay-dating-apps) (2025-11-10)

## Questions



**What is BlueCity Holdings?** BlueCity Holdings is a Beijing-based company that operates Blued, a dating and social app for gay men. It was founded by Ma Baoli.

**Is BlueCity still listed on Nasdaq?** No. BlueCity agreed to go private in May 2022 and, according to Wikipedia, the merger completed in August 2022 and the company was delisted.

**What does BlueCity Holdings do?** BlueCity Holdings is a Beijing-based company behind Blued, a dating and social app for gay men in China, founded by Ma Baoli. It listed on Nasdaq and went private in a deal announced in May 2022 at US$1.60 per ADS, valuing it at about US$60 million.

**Where is BlueCity Holdings based?** BlueCity Holdings is based in Beijing, China.


---
Canonical: https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/companies/bluecity-holdings