OnlyFans, the London-based subscription platform best known for adult content, is reportedly exploring a sale that could value the company at $8 billion. According to Reuters, parent company Fenix International is in discussions with a group of investors led by Forest Road Company, a Los Angeles-based investment firm.
Sources familiar with the talks say negotiations have been ongoing since March, and a potential public listing is also being considered. If a deal is struck, it would mark a major shift for one of the most profitable and controversial platforms in the online creator economy.
From Influencer Platform to Adult Entertainment Giant
Launched in 2016, OnlyFans originally positioned itself as a platform for artists and influencers to monetise their content. That changed in 2017, when the company lifted its ban on explicit material and was later acquired by adult industry entrepreneur Leonid Radvinsky, founder of MyFreeCams. His company, Fenix International, took a controlling interest and helped drive the platform’s transformation.
The timing proved pivotal. As lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic drove creators and audiences online, OnlyFans exploded in popularity. The platform now claims over 300 million users globally, with top creators earning millions annually. For many, it became a symbol of the online sexual economy—powering creator independence, while also attracting scrutiny.
Yet alongside its financial success, the platform has faced criticism around user safety and content moderation. Critics argue that OnlyFans has not done enough to protect underage users or vulnerable creators. Earlier this year, a UK investigation by media regulator Ofcom into whether the company had adequately prevented under-18s from accessing the platform was dropped after months of review.
The reported $8 billion valuation puts OnlyFans among the most valuable creator platforms globally, especially in the adult entertainment category. While the company has made moves to attract more mainstream creators, its reputation remains deeply tied to explicit content—a dynamic that could complicate its path to public markets or broader investor backing.
Whether Fenix International finalizes the deal or pursues a public listing, the outcome could reshape how adult content platforms are valued and regulated in the years ahead. It also signals growing investor interest in platforms at the intersection of creator monetization and digital entertainment, even amid complex ethical and legal debates.
For now, the future of OnlyFans remains in flux—but if the sale closes at the rumored price, it will be one of the most high-profile exits in the digital creator economy to date.
