OnlyFans, the UK-based streaming platform used by sex workers, is nearing a deal to sell a minority stake that would value the business at more than $3 billion (€2.5 billion) after its owner died last month.
The group is in advanced talks to sell a stake of less than 20 per cent to Architect Capital, a San Francisco-based fund, said people familiar with the matter.
The stake sale under discussion follows years of stop-start efforts to bring outside investment into OnlyFans, which in recent months were overshadowed by owner Leonid Radvinsky’s battle with cancer. He died in late March.
An agreement is expected to be struck as early as next month, said three people with knowledge of the situation. The deal, which will open the door to further stake sales in the future, could still hit last-minute obstacles, the people added.
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The decision will leave control of OnlyFans with the family trust that now holds Radvinsky’s shares. The trust is led by Radvinsky’s widow Katie, who has been overseeing the sale process since the illness and death of her husband.
One person close to the talks said the pact would provide greater stability for the business, which continues to be hugely profitable. OnlyFans paid a record $701 million in dividends last year alone.
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The company had been pursuing a valuation of more than $5 billion when it was considering selling a majority stake, but the decision to sell only a small part of the business without a controlling interest had reduced the value of the stake.
Architect entered into exclusive negotiations with OnlyFans over buying a majority stake late last year, the Wall Street Journal previously reported. Other suitors had been pursuing OnlyFans, including Los Angeles-based investment firm Forest Road Company with the backing of British billionaires David and Simon Reuben.
Radvinsky transformed the porn industry at the helm of OnlyFans, and created one of Britain’s most successful start-ups that last year generated $7.2 billion from users who pay subscriptions to the content creators as well as offer tips and payment for special requests.
His death at the age of 43 left the fate of an empire worth billions up in the air. The Ukrainian-American entrepreneur acquired Fenix International, the company that owns and operates OnlyFans, in 2018.
As part of the deal, OnlyFans is expected to work with Architect to develop new financial services and products to offer creators, who sometimes struggle to get access to traditional banking facilities.
Architect has funded the deal with backing from other investors through a special-purpose vehicle. OnlyFans declined to comment. Architect did not immediately respond to request for comment. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2026
