Finka
In short: Finka is a Chinese dating and social app for gay and bisexual men, launched in 2014 as Aloha. It is owned by Beijing-based BlueCity, the company behind Blued, which bought its operating company in November 2020. It matters to the industry because Apple removed it from China's App Store in November 2025 on a regulator's order.
Key facts
| Type | Dating app |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Beijing, China |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Status | Operating, but removed from Apple's China App Store in November 2025 |
| Former name and launch | Launched in 2014 as Aloha; became Finka in mid-2020 [Chinese LGBTQ dating apps, past and present, 26 October 2022] |
| Acquisition | Operating company bought by BlueCity in November 2020 for 240 million yuan ($33.4 million); Finka continued as a separate app [Chinese LGBTQ dating apps, past and present, November 2020] |
| Owner and location | Owned by BlueCity, a Beijing-based tech company that also owns Blued [Apple removes two gay dating apps in China to comply with go, November 2025] |
| App store removal | Apple removed Finka and Blued from its China App Store, saying it acted on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China; Android users could still download from official websites [Apple removes two gay dating apps in China to comply with go, November 2025] |
| Market reaction reported by DII | DII reported BlueCity Holdings shares fell 8.3% after the removal [Dating Industry Insights, 10 November 2025] |
| Chinese name | 翻咔 (fān kā) [Chinese LGBTQ dating apps, past and present, 26 October 2022] |
About Finka
Finka is a dating and social app for gay and bisexual men in China. According to The China Project, it first appeared in 2014 under the name Aloha and became Finka in mid-2020. It uses a swipe-based matching model, where users are shown profiles chosen by an algorithm and swipe right to show interest or left to pass. BlueCity describes it as aimed at Gen Z, a younger group than the wider Blued audience.
In November 2020, BlueCity, the Beijing-based company that owns Blued, bought Finka's operating company for 240 million yuan, about $33.4 million. The China Project described the deal as arguably the largest acquisition in China's "pink economy". Finka kept running as a separate app after the purchase, and it was widely described as the second-largest gay dating app in China behind Blued.
In November 2025, Apple said it had removed Finka and Blued from its China App Store in line with an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China. NBC News reported that Android users could still download both apps from their official websites. Dating Industry Insights reported that BlueCity Holdings shares fell 8.3% after the removal. The case is often cited as an example of the regulatory risk facing LGBTQ+ dating apps that depend on app store distribution in China.
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Questions about Finka
Who owns Finka?
Finka is owned by BlueCity, a Beijing-based company that also owns Blued. BlueCity bought Finka's operating company in November 2020 for 240 million yuan.
What was Finka called before?
It launched in 2014 as Aloha and was renamed Finka in mid-2020, according to The China Project.
Why was Finka removed from the China App Store?
Apple said it removed Finka and Blued in November 2025 based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
Can Finka still be downloaded in China?
NBC News reported that, after the removal, Android users could still download the app from its official website.
What is Finka?
Finka is a Chinese dating and social app for gay and bisexual men, launched in 2014 as Aloha. It is owned by Beijing-based BlueCity, the company behind Blued, which bought its operating company in November 2020.
Where is Finka based?
Finka is based in Beijing, China.
When was Finka founded?
Finka was founded in 2014.
Also known as: Aloha (former name), Fanka.