Queer Social App Lex Acquired by Former Musical.ly CEO

Lex, a social app catering to the LGBTQ+ community, has been acquired by 9count, a conglomerate led by former Musical.ly CEO Alex Hofmann. Lex, originally launched as an Instagram personals page in 2017 and turned into an app in 2019, provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ users to connect – away from the harassment commonly found on mainstream social platforms.

Lex initially gained popularity for its vintage-inspired personal ads but shifted focus to general socialization, a change that sparked concern among users who valued its dating and hookup features. With the acquisition by 9count, Lex is expected to ship new features faster and enhance content moderation, addressing user expectations for both safety and innovation.

Formerly focused primarily on dating, Lex has become more of a general social platform, something that this new acquisition may hasten. The platform still encourages users to pursue dating or intimate conversations if they want to.

9count, which also operates apps like Wink and Summer (also social and dating platforms) is aiming to build vertically and empower existing communities rather than chasing mass-market success. Hofmann, with his experience in growing Musical.ly into TikTok, sees Lex as a key part of this strategy – despite Lex’s smaller user base compared to mainstream dating apps, it boasts high engagement, with users sending millions of messages per month within the platform’s well-defined niche.