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OnlyFans \u2014 the massive adult creator network where performers and influencers sell subscription-based content directly to fans \u2014 is considering selling a majority stake of its business to investment firm Architect Capital, a source close to the deal told TechCrunch. The deal would value the platform at $5.5 billion.<\/p>\n
The source said that of that $5.5 billion, $3.5 billion would be equity and $2 billion would be debt. Under those terms, Architect would assume a 60% stake in the business. The two parties are in exclusivity, meaning that OnlyFans is barred from negotiating with other potential buyers for a set period of time. It\u2019s unclear what the timeline for completing the deal might be. The negotiations were previously reported<\/a> by The Wall Street Journal.<\/p>\n TechCrunch reached out to Architect Capital for comment. <\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the first time in recent memory that OnlyFans has been in talks to sell off its business. Last year, the New York Post reported that<\/a> Leonid Radvinsky, the billionaire owner of the site, was looking to \u201ccash out,\u201d and was courting potential buyers.\u00a0Subsequent reporting<\/a> showed that the platform\u2019s parent company, Fenix International Ltd., was in talks with a U.S.-based investor group led by the Los Angeles-based investment firm Forest Road Company. It\u2019s unclear what happened to those discussions, although the source told TechCrunch that there had been a number of interested parties since OnlyFans announced its desire to sell a majority stake.<\/p>\n The potential business partner in this particular deal, Architect, launched in 2021<\/a> as an asset-based lender \u2014 a firm that provides loans secured by company assets \u2014 that looks to partner with early-stage startups<\/a>.<\/p>\n OnlyFans maintains that it\u2019s not a pornography website, despite the fact that a majority of the creators on it produce adult content. A British firm, the site was founded in 2016 by Tim Stokely, who also initially served as its CEO. Stokely sold a majority stake<\/a> of the site\u2019s parent company, Fenix International, to Radvinsky in 2018. Over the years, it has suffered from a variety of legal controversies<\/a>, including lawsuits<\/a> accusing the site of profiting off of abusive videos.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n