When people talk about OnlyFans, its explosive growth and substantial profits often come to mind. As one of the world’s most prominent content subscription platforms, it boasts over 250 million registered users and millions of content creators, generating a significant $6.6 billion in revenue in 2023. Figures like these naturally make countless investors eager, asking, “Where can I buy OnlyFans stock?” However, a key fact remains: as of 2025, OnlyFans is still a private company, and average investors cannot directly purchase its shares on the public market. This article will not only clarify this current situation but also delve into practical and promising alternative investment strategies. These strategies can help you profit from the booming creator economy and social video platform trend without directly owning a piece of OnlyFans.
Why OnlyFans Isn't Public Yet? An In-Depth Look at Its Status and Challenges
Many investors are anticipating an OnlyFans Initial Public Offering (IPO), but that day seems distant. Its parent company, Fenix International Limited, remains privately held for complex reasons. Primarily, the platform’s strong association with adult content poses its biggest challenge. Although OnlyFans has attempted to expand into “safer” areas like fitness and music, its core revenue and brand identity are still rooted in adult entertainment. This deters mainstream financial institutions and large institutional investors, who often hesitate due to reputational risk and policy restrictions.
More notably, according to the latest 2025 news, OnlyFans is actively seeking a sale, with rumors suggesting a valuation around $8 billion. This development is actually more pressing than an IPO. When a company considers a sale, its plans for going public are typically put on hold indefinitely. Furthermore, the platform faces increasing regulatory pressures, such as restrictions from payment processors and legal risks related to content moderation and age verification laws in different countries. These factors cast a shadow over its financial stability and long-term growth. Therefore, instead of waiting indefinitely for an uncertain IPO, savvy investors should focus on actionable alternatives available right now.
Strategy 1: Invest in Publicly Traded Companies with a Similar Business Model
Since direct investment in OnlyFans isn’t possible, the most straightforward strategy is to find “peers” with highly similar business models that are already publicly traded on the stock market. These companies also benefit from the global trends of the creator economy and paid subscriptions, but they often have more diversified businesses and lower regulatory risks. By investing in them, you can indirectly participate in this sector’s growth.
Patreon: The Subscription Platform for Creative Communities
Patreon can be seen as the “all-ages version” of OnlyFans. It similarly provides a platform for creators (like podcasters, musicians, illustrators) to earn stable income through fan subscriptions. While its user base and revenue are smaller than OnlyFans’, its content ecosystem is healthier and widely accepted by brand advertisers and investors. Investing in Patreon means investing in a more mainstream, less controversial key player in the creator economy.Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook): The Giant in Social and Video Advertising
While Meta doesn’t primarily rely on subscription fees, its platforms Instagram and Facebook are undoubtedly among the most critical traffic sources and fan interaction platforms for creators worldwide. Through an ad-revenue sharing model, Meta helps millions of creators monetize their content. Investing in Meta means investing in the underlying infrastructure of the entire digital content ecosystem; its massive user base and advanced advertising technology form a strong competitive advantage.
Strategy 2: Invest in the Underlying Technology Companies Supporting OnlyFans
Any successful platform relies on robust underlying technology. OnlyFans’ smooth operation depends on a range of technical services, from cloud storage and content delivery to payment processing. Investing in these “pick-and-shovel” companies is often more stable and safer than investing in the “gold miners” themselves. This strategy lets you avoid worrying about the content policy risks of any single specific platform, instead betting on the foundational pillars of the entire industry’s growth.
Amazon and Google (Alphabet): The Cornerstones of Cloud Services
OnlyFans’ massive volume of video and image content is necessarily stored in the cloud and distributed globally. Amazon’s AWS and Google Cloud are leaders in the global cloud services market, serving almost all major internet companies. Regardless of whether OnlyFans or its competitors ultimately succeed, they must pay substantial fees to these cloud giants. Investing in these companies allows you to profit from the fundamental demand driven by digital content growth.Payment Processors: The Lifeblood of the Digital Economy
Seamless and secure payment processing is critical for platforms like OnlyFans. You can look into dominant companies in the online payments space, such as PayPal, Stripe (currently private), or Block (formerly Square). Although some major payment companies have strict policies regarding adult content, they handle enormous volumes of global digital transactions, including countless other types of subscription services and digital product sales, maintaining strong growth drivers.
Strategy 3: High-Risk Allocation via Private Equity or Alternative Assets
For sophisticated, high-net-worth investors with a very high risk tolerance, there are indeed higher-barrier ways to gain exposure to private companies like OnlyFans. These methods are complex, illiquid, and absolutely not suitable for the average retail investor, but we mention them briefly for completeness. They typically require investors to be accredited and involve significant capital commitments.
Private Equity and Venture Capital Funds
Some private equity funds focusing on the tech or media sectors make direct investments in mature private companies like OnlyFans. Average investors might gain indirect exposure by buying shares in these funds. However, such investments have long lock-up periods, high entry thresholds, and far less transparency than public companies.Crowdfunding Platforms
In recent years, some equity crowdfunding platforms have begun allowing the general public to invest in certain startups. While a company of OnlyFans’ size is unlikely to use this route, it can be a channel for tracking early-stage social platforms and creator tool companies. Be aware that these investments carry an extremely high failure rate and are often more about support and exploration.
Future Outlook: How to Act if OnlyFans Goes Public or is Sold?
Although current signs point towards a sale being more likely than an IPO, understanding the IPO participation process is useful knowledge for any investor. If OnlyFans suddenly announces IPO plans in the future, you should prepare as follows: First, ensure you have a brokerage account that supports IPO participation. Second, monitor financial news closely and read its S-1 registration statement filed with the SEC carefully to understand its detailed financials, risk factors, and growth strategy. Finally, stay rational; don’t blindly chase the hype, and make judgments based on Calm analysis.
Conclusion: Capitalizing on Clear Trends Amid Uncertainty
In summary, directly investing in OnlyFans stock remains an unattainable goal in 2025. However, next to this closed door, several windows are wide open. By investing in publicly traded alternative platforms like Patreon and Meta, or in underlying technology giants like Amazon and Google, you can fully capture the long-term benefits driven by the creator economy and the video content explosion. These alternatives are not only more actionable but also help you avoid the specific policy and reputational risks associated with OnlyFans. In the world of investing, flexibility often yields richer rewards than stubbornly focusing on a single target.