Civitai, a prominent platform for sharing AI-generated images and models, announced that it will suspend credit card payments starting May 23 after being dropped by its current payment processor. The move comes amid ongoing controversy over the platform’s role in hosting and distributing sexually explicit and, in some cases, nonconsensual AI-generated content.

In a statement posted Monday, Civitai said the cutoff was prompted by the payment company’s policy of avoiding platforms that host adult user-generated content, even if legal and moderated. The announcement emphasized that the decision was a “policy choice” by the processor and not the result of any specific user misconduct.

“Some payment companies label generative-AI platforms high risk, especially when we allow user-generated mature content,” the announcement read. “That policy choice, not anything users did, forced the cutoff.”

Civitai, which is backed by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, has faced increased scrutiny in recent months after investigations by 404 Media and others revealed widespread use of the site for creating explicit images, some appearing to be nonconsensual or resembling public figures.

Civitai CEO Justin Maier denied that the site had been fully “cut off,” telling reporters that while the current processor is exiting, Civitai is in the process of onboarding a new “high-risk” payment provider to continue operations without interruption. “Rather than remove that category [adult content], we’re onboarding a specialist high-risk processor,” Maier said in an email.

Until new payment infrastructure is in place, users will not be able to purchase Buzz, the platform’s internal currency, or start or renew memberships using credit cards. To mitigate the disruption, Civitai is encouraging users to buy Buzz in bulk or switch to annual subscriptions ahead of the May 23 deadline.

The company said alternative payment methods, including cryptocurrency and direct ACH bank transfers, are expected to roll out within the next week. Credit card processing is slated to resume by mid-June with a new provider.

This latest development follows a series of policy changes Civitai enacted in April under pressure from payment processors. Those changes included banning certain adult content categories—such as depictions involving diapers or firearms—and tightening rules on AI-generated likenesses of real people. However, Monday’s announcement acknowledged that those steps were not sufficient to maintain the current payment relationship.

“Those changes opened some doors, but the processors ultimately decided Civitai was still outside their comfort zone,” the company stated.

In the wake of the announcement, users voiced mixed reactions. Some suggested the platform should remove celebrity likeness models, citing legal risks and the U.S. “Take It Down” Act aimed at reducing the spread of nonconsensual imagery. Others defended the platform’s commitment to creative freedom, arguing that explicit content is integral to its traffic and revenue.

Civitai insisted the platform is not at risk of shutting down. “We have months of runway. The site, community, and creator payouts continue unchanged,” the statement read.

However, it warned that earnings for creators may dip in June due to reduced transactional activity until new payment systems are live.

The situation underscores broader tensions in the generative AI space, where legal, ethical, and financial concerns increasingly intersect. As platforms like Civitai navigate compliance pressures and content moderation, industry observers expect more friction between creative freedom and commercial viability.