Blued is one of the largest gay social networking apps in the world. Launched in 2012 in China, it has grown rapidly and now connects over 40 million users in 193 countries. The app is available for free on both Android and iOS devices.
Blued offers modern features like:
- Verified Profiles
- Live Broadcasting
- Timeline (like a newsfeed)
- Group Chats and Messaging
In 2016, Blued was estimated to be worth $600 million, making it one of the most valuable LGBTQ+ platforms globally.
History of Blued
The story of Blued starts with a man named Ma Baoli (also known as Geng Le). He was a police officer in Qinhuangdao, China, and also secretly ran a gay message board called Danlan (“淡蓝” in Chinese, meaning light blue), started in 2000. Danlan became popular among the gay community in China.
In 2012, Ma was forced to resign from the police after his superiors discovered he ran the gay forum. Instead of giving up, he created Blued—inspired by American apps like Jack’d—and launched it the same year with support from early investors.
Rapid Growth and Global Reach
Within just 4 years, Blued became:
- The largest gay social network in the world
- Serving over 27 million users by 2016
- Run by a team of 200+ employees from its Beijing headquarters
- Expanded internationally with new offices in London and India
LGBTQ+ Health & HIV Awareness
Blued and its parent company BlueCity have been actively involved in promoting HIV/AIDS prevention. After a friend of Ma revealed he had HIV in 2009, Ma pushed for stronger health efforts:
- Collaborated with Beijing’s health officials
- Promoted free HIV testing among high-risk groups
- Organized events with UNAIDS and Chinese CDC
- Even met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to discuss LGBT rights and HIV awareness
This advocacy earned Blued special recognition and allowed the app to operate more freely, even while other LGBTQ+ platforms faced censorship in China.
Strategic Partnership with Hornet
In 2016, Blued joined hands with Hornet, another global gay social app. The partnership helped expand both platforms and aimed to provide a more meaningful user experience. Sean Howell, Hornet’s president, said gay apps are evolving beyond hookups to offer richer and safer communities.
Leadership Changes
In August 2022, Ma Baoli stepped down as the CEO of BlueCity, shortly after the company was delisted from Nasdaq.
