Tim Stokely

Tim Stokely stunned the world in August when he announced that OnlyFans, the subscription social media platform, would bar sexually explicit content. The site boomed during the pandemic: It now boasts more than 150 million users, a 50% increase from January. The more than 1.5 million creators on the platform have netted a total of $5 billion since Stokely founded the company five years ago. But adult content has been a linchpin of that growth. The move to shut it down was a big, risky bet that Stokely has said was prompted by wary banks. The decision generated so much backlash that he ultimately reversed course. Although some OnlyFans creators have since said they’re exploring alternative platforms, Stokely has signaled the belief that there’s a market for OnlyFans beyond the sexually explicit—one that can appeal to adult entertainers, celebrities, content creators, investors, and, perhaps most important, the banks that process its payments. It has brought aboard stars like Cardi B, who charges users $4.99 a month to subscribe to her channel. The platform also recently launched a streaming service called OFTV, available on devices like Roku and Apple TV, that does not feature any adult content—a way for creators to promote their subscriptions to a wider audience.