Soulgate
In short: Soulgate is the operator of Soul, a Chinese social and dating platform founded in 2016 by Zhang Lu and based in Shanghai. Tencent holds 49.9 per cent. The company filed for a Hong Kong listing in November 2025 and says it has about 390 million registered users. DII contrasts its AI-led approach with rival Yidui.
Key facts
| Type | Dating platform |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Shanghai, China |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Website | soulapp.cn |
| Founder | Soul was founded in 2016 by Zhang Lu and is operated by Shanghai Renyimen Technology Co., Ltd., headquartered in Shanghai [Wikipedia, 2016] |
| Fact | Soul App filed for a Main Board listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in November 2025, with CITIC Securities as sole sponsor [TechNode, 28 November 2025] |
| Owner | Tencent holds 49.9 per cent of the company; other major shareholders include miHoYo, Genesis Capital and 5Y Capital [TechNode, 28 November 2025] |
| Users | The filing reports about 390 million registered users and around 11 million daily active users [TechNode, 28 November 2025] |
| Revenue | Revenue was about 1.68 billion yuan in the first eight months of 2025, and the company has been profitable since 2023 [TechNode, 2025] |
| Fact | DII says Soulgate emphasises AI-driven features, virtual avatars and asynchronous interaction, in contrast to Yidui's human facilitation [Dating Industry Insights, 8 April 2026] |
About Soulgate
Soulgate Inc. operates Soul, a Chinese social platform built around interests, avatars and AI-assisted matching. Wikipedia says Soul was founded by Zhang Lu in 2016, is run by Shanghai Renyimen Technology Co., Ltd. and is headquartered in Shanghai. Its main features include a personality test that groups users into themed planets, a feed called Soul Square, group voice rooms, and an AI recommendation engine called Lingxi. The company says it operates in China, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and North America.
In November 2025 the company filed an application to list on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with CITIC Securities as sole sponsor. According to TechNode, Tencent holds 49.9 per cent, and other major shareholders include miHoYo, Genesis Capital and 5Y Capital. The filing reports about 390 million registered users and around 11 million daily active users, more than 78 per cent of them from Generation Z. TechNode says Soul has been profitable since 2023, with adjusted earnings of over 330 million yuan in 2024.
Dating Industry Insights described Soulgate in April 2026 as taking the opposite bet to Yidui: where Yidui relies on human facilitation, Soulgate emphasises AI-driven features, virtual avatars and asynchronous interaction. DII said the two are running controlled experiments on what Chinese users want from dating platforms.
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Questions about Soulgate
What is Soulgate?
Soulgate Inc. operates Soul, a Chinese social platform founded in 2016 and based in Shanghai.
Who owns Soulgate?
Tencent holds 49.9 per cent, according to the company's Hong Kong listing filing as reported by TechNode.
Has Soulgate listed in Hong Kong?
It filed an application for a Hong Kong Main Board listing in November 2025. This record does not confirm a completed listing.
What does Soulgate do?
Soulgate is the operator of Soul, a Chinese social and dating platform founded in 2016 by Zhang Lu and based in Shanghai. Tencent holds 49.9 per cent. The company filed for a Hong Kong listing in November 2025 and says it has about 390 million registered users. DII contrasts its AI-led approach with rival Yidui.
Where is Soulgate based?
Soulgate is based in Shanghai, China.
When was Soulgate founded?
Soulgate was founded in 2016.
Also known as: Shanghai Renyimen Technology Co., Ltd., Soul, Soul App, Soulgate Inc..