The internet is buzzing once again with a claim that's more fiction than fact – Elon Musk buying OnlyFans. This recycled rumor has taken a life of its own, igniting chatter across social media. It all traces back to a parody account, @DailyNoud, which posted a fabricated quote on March 23, 2026. The post claimed Musk expressed interest in buying the racy subscription platform and shutting it down. However, this account is purely satirical, well-known for its fictional antics, and has no ties to Musk or OnlyFans.
Fact-checkers were quick on the scene, debunking the rumors left and right. "The viral claim that Elon Musk wants to buy OnlyFans and shut it down is fabricated," stated Fact Of X, a vigilant watchdog on misinformation. No press releases or official statements support this wild claim, yet it continues to circulate, fueled by a screenshot stripped of its parody context.
What gave this hoax extra legs was the untimely passing of Leonid Radvinsky, the man behind OnlyFans' success since 2018. His death sparked a separate rumor – that Musk was set to swoop in and take over. However, the truth tells a different tale. Separate merger talks were already in motion, involving Architect Capital, valuing OnlyFans at a whopping £4.3bn ($5.5bn), making any Musk involvement purely speculative fiction.
Despite the noise, OnlyFans remains a robust business, with impressive earnings of £5.7bn ($7.22bn) in gross revenue in 2024. The idea of Musk buying the platform just to shut it down doesn’t align with his acquisition history, which typically involves strategic growth rather than ideological shutdowns.
While Elon Musk has never attempted to acquire OnlyFans, he does have a tangential connection to the platform. Just before the hoax went viral, a lawsuit involving an OnlyFans creator and Musk's social media giant X was dismissed in Texas. The legal proceedings centered around content moderation, not any acquisition dreams.
Adding to the buzz was a Polymarket event speculating on a potential Musk-OnlyFans deal, pegging the likelihood at a mere 4 percent. The persistent nature of this rumor points more to collective internet fascination than any credible business transaction. As things stand, OnlyFans continues under its existing ownership, with neither Musk nor the platform signaling any changes in that status quo.