Gisele Bundchen and Joaquim Valente "have been dating since June".
The 43-year-old model and Joaquim are "taking it slow" for the moment, and Gisele has made a concerted effort to keep their romance out of the spotlight.
A source told PEOPLE: "They have been dating since June. They're taking it slow.
"They started out as great friends first. She's very private about this and wanted to keep it quiet while they got to know each other."
Gisele - who split from Tom Brady two years ago - and Joaquim initially had a platonic relationship. However, their situation has slowly evolved over time.
A second source shared: "They started out as friends. He was a huge comfort for Gisele while she went through her divorce. Their friendship turned romantic after the divorce."
Gisele and the jiu-jitsu instructor actually have a lot in common with each other.
The insider said: "They come from similar backgrounds. They both left Brazil very young. They have both created amazing lives for themselves in the US. They both love Miami, but also enjoy travelling. They both enjoy healthy living.
"Gisele's in a great space. She is happy and very much enjoying life. Joaquim is perfect for her."
Gisele announced her split from Tom in 2022.
The model - who was married to the former sports star between 2009 and 2022 - admitted that the celebrity couple had simply "grown apart".
Gisele - who was first spotted with Joaquim in Costa Rica in November 2022 - said in a statement: "The decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always."
