Feature Articles
Outlook 2026: Industry Execs Weigh In on Strategy, Monetization and Risk
opinion
Outlook 2026: Industry Execs Weigh In on Strategy, Monetization and Risk
The adult industry enters 2026 at a moment of concentrated change. Over the past year, the sector’s evolution has accelerated. Creators have become full-scale businesses, managing branding, compliance, distribution and community under intensifying competition. Studios and platforms are refining production and business models in response to pressures ranging from regulatory mandates to shifting consumer preferences.
How Platforms Can Tap AI to Moderate Content at Scale
opinion
How Platforms Can Tap AI to Moderate Content at Scale
Every day, billions of posts, images and videos are uploaded to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X. As social media has grown, so has the amount of content that must be reviewed — including hate speech, misinformation, deepfakes, violent material and coordinated manipulation campaigns.
What DSA and GDPR Enforcement Means for Adult Platforms
opinion
What DSA and GDPR Enforcement Means for Adult Platforms
Adult platforms have never been more visible to regulators than they are right now. For years, the industry operated in a gray zone: enormous traffic, massive data volume and minimal oversight. Those days are over.
Making the Case for Network Tokens in Recurring Billing
opinion
Making the Case for Network Tokens in Recurring Billing
A declined transaction isn’t just a technical error; it’s lost revenue you fought hard to earn. But here’s some good news for adult merchants: The same technology that helps the world’s largest subscription services smoothly process millions of monthly subscriptions is now available to you as well.
Navigating Age Verification Laws Without Disrupting Revenue
opinion
Navigating Age Verification Laws Without Disrupting Revenue
With age verification laws now firmly in place across multiple markets, merchants are asking practical questions: How is this affecting traffic? What happens during onboarding? Which approaches are proving workable in real payment flows?
How Adult Businesses Can Navigate Global Compliance Demands
opinion
How Adult Businesses Can Navigate Global Compliance Demands
The internet has made the world feel small. Case in point: Adult websites based in the U.S. are now getting letters from regulators demanding compliance with foreign laws, even if they don’t operate in those countries. Meanwhile, some U.S. website operators dealing with the patchwork of state-level age verification laws have considered incorporating offshore in the hopes of avoiding these new obligations — but even operators with no physical presence in the U.S. have been sued or threatened with claims for not following state AV laws.
Top Tips for Bulletproof Creator Management Contracts
opinion
Top Tips for Bulletproof Creator Management Contracts
The creator management business is booming. Every week, it seems, a new agency emerges, promising to turn creators into stars, automate their fan interactions or triple their revenue through “secret” social strategies. The reality? Many of these agencies are operating with contracts that wouldn’t survive a single serious dispute — if they even have contracts at all.
Building Sustainable Revenue Without Opt-Out Cross-Sales
opinion
Building Sustainable Revenue Without Opt-Out Cross-Sales
Over the past year, we’ve seen growing pushback from acquirers on merchants using opt-out cross-sales — also known as negative option offers. This has been especially noticeable in the U.S. In fact, one of our acquirers now declines new merchants during onboarding if an opt-out flow is detected. Existing merchants submitting new URLs with opt-out cross-sales are being asked to remove them.
How to Handle Payment Disputes Without Sacrificing Trust
opinion
How to Handle Payment Disputes Without Sacrificing Trust
You can run the best-managed and most compliant website out there, but that still doesn’t completely shield you from the risks tied to payment disputes. Buyer’s remorse, an unclear billing description or even a simple misunderstanding can lead a customer to dispute a transaction. Accumulate enough disputes, and both your reputation and revenue could be at risk.
From Compliance to Confidence: The Future of Safety in Adult Platforms
opinion
From Compliance to Confidence: The Future of Safety in Adult Platforms
In numerous countries and U.S. states, laws now require platforms to prevent minors from accessing age-inappropriate material. But the need for safeguarding doesn’t end with age verification. Today’s online landscape also places adult companies at uniquely high risk for inadvertently facilitating exploitation, abuse or reputational harm, or of being accused of doing so.
What Adult Businesses Need to Know About Florida's Age Verification Law
opinion
What Adult Businesses Need to Know About Florida's Age Verification Law
The rise and proliferation of age verification laws has changed the landscape for the online adult industry. A recent and compelling example is the state of Florida, where Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed multiple complaints against major platforms as well as affiliates accused of violating the state’s AV law.
Maintaining Brand Trust in the Face of Negative Press
opinion
Maintaining Brand Trust in the Face of Negative Press
Over the last year, several of our merchants have found themselves caught up in litigation over compliance with state age verification laws. Recently, Segpay itself was pulled into the spotlight, facing scrutiny over Florida’s AV statute, HB 3. These stories inevitably get picked up by both industry and mainstream news outlets.
How to Switch Payment Processors Without Disrupting Business
opinion
How to Switch Payment Processors Without Disrupting Business
For many merchants, the idea of switching payment processors can feel pretty overwhelming. That’s understandable. After all, downtime can stall sales, recurring subscriptions can suddenly fail, or compliance gaps can put accounts at risk. Operating in a high-risk sector like the adult industry can further amplify the stress of transition.
How to Stay Legally Protected When Policies Get Outdated
opinion
How to Stay Legally Protected When Policies Get Outdated
The adult industry has long operated in a complex legal environment subject to rapid change. Now, a confluence of age verification laws, lawsuits, credit card processing and data privacy rules has created an urgent need for all industry participants — from major platforms to independent creators — to review and potentially overhaul their legal and operational policies.
From Compliance Chaos to Crypto Clarity: Making the Case for Digital Payments in Adult
opinion
From Compliance Chaos to Crypto Clarity: Making the Case for Digital Payments in Adult
These are uncertain times for adult merchants. With compliance tightening and age verification mandates rising, the barrier to entry keeps getting higher.
Real-Time Insights to Streamline E-Payments and Stop Lost Sales
opinion
Real-Time Insights to Streamline E-Payments and Stop Lost Sales
A slow checkout process is more than just annoying — it’s expensive. In a high-risk sector like the adult industry, even small delays or declined transactions can cost businesses thousands in lost revenue every month.
Breaking Down HB 805 and How it Affects the Adult Industry
opinion
Breaking Down HB 805 and How it Affects the Adult Industry
North Carolina House Bill 805 was enacted July 29, after the state legislature overrode Governor Josh Stein’s veto. The provisions that relate to the adult industry, imposing requirements for age verification, consent and content removal, are scheduled to become effective Dec. 1. Platforms have until then to update their policies and systems to comply with the new regulations.
Staying Compliant With Payment Standards Across Europe and Australia
opinion
Staying Compliant With Payment Standards Across Europe and Australia
So, you’ve got your eye on international growth. Smart move. No matter where adult-industry merchants operate, however, one requirement remains consistent: regulatory compliance. This isn’t just a legal checkbox — it’s a critical component of keeping payments flowing and business operations intact.
How to Avoid Copyright Pitfalls When Using Music in Adult Content
opinion
How to Avoid Copyright Pitfalls When Using Music in Adult Content
When creating an adult video, bringing your vision to life often means assembling just the right ingredients — including the right music. However, adding music to adult content can raise complex legal and ethical issues.
New Visa Rules Adult Merchants Need to Know
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opinion
New Visa Rules Adult Merchants Need to Know
In December 2024, I shared an update on the upcoming rollout of Visa’s Acquirer Monitoring Program, also known as VAMP. The final version went into effect in June, and enforcement will begin in October. With just a month to go, now is the time to review what’s changing and how to stay compliant.
