Barclays has been accused of closing the bank account of a tech entrepreneur because she earned part of her income from adult content platform OnlyFans.
Madelaine Thomas, who runs a startup called Image Angel while also generating revenue through adult content platforms, said the bank refused to open a business account for her company and closed an account linked to her work on OnlyFans and similar sites.
Thomas applied for a business account with Barclays for Image Angel, a company she founded after private images of her were shared without her consent. The company’s technology applies digital watermarks to online images, allowing creators to track how their content is distributed and detect when it is being shared without permission.
She said she initially received a positive response from the bank when she submitted her application, but that was followed by a series of questions about a separate account that generated income from her adult content work. She also said Barclays had asked about a joint account that she had with her husband and used to pay kindergarten fees.
“It’s crazy that I’m trying to get a business account for a technology that will change the landscape when it comes to violence against women and girls, and yet now I’m under investigation… I don’t even know what,” she said. “The technology I develop is purely to protect people. It is a benefit to society.”
She wrote on LinkedIn and claimed: “Barclays doesn’t like the fact that I earn through platforms like OnlyFans.”
OnlyFans, which has nearly five million creators and more than 350 million users, has faced similar complaints before. In 2021, model Jessica Alves said Barclays deleted her account, citing concerns about transactions related to adult content.
Last year, the Financial Conduct Authority warned banks against freezing or closing the accounts of adult workers without good reason, saying such actions could cause “significant harm” to those affected.
A Barclays spokesman said the bank was responsible for understanding the source of funds associated with each business account.
“Where this is not possible, we examine each company on a case-by-case basis and only close a customer’s account after careful consideration,” the spokesman said. “We do not make this decision lightly and understand the difficulties this may bring.”
Thomas said she has since opened a business account at another bank.
