The number of close friends that Singaporeans have has shrunk over the past six years, from 10.67 on average in 2018 to 6.49 in 2024, a study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) has found.

The findings, which will soon be released in full, also show that younger people aged 18 to 35 were more likely to have fewer close friends compared with their older peers, regardless of socio-economic status (SES).