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SoundCloud Acquires Defunct Nina Protocol Assets, Offers Migration

7/23/2026

24 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

SoundCloud Acquires Nina

SoundCloud acquired the assets of Nina Protocol, a decentralized music platform that ceased operations in May.
The acquisition gives SoundCloud ownership of Nina’s genre map and other music-discovery infrastructure.
SoundCloud will provide a migration tool and free creator-tools access to former Nina artists through the end of 2026.
Analysts say the integration will reveal whether SoundCloud plans to adopt Nina’s decentralized technology.

Summary

Nina Shuts Down

Nina Protocol announced in late May 2026 that it could not find a revenue strategy and will shut down.
The platform generated only $50,000 in user spending, with 77 % of its nearly 37,000 listings uncollected, far below Bandcamp’s $151 million in 2025.
After dropping its distribution revenue share and adding zero-commission fan support and vinyl in November 2025, Nina’s 100 % royalty model on Solana and Arweave failed to attract monetisation.

History

Historical Context

In June 2015 Line Corporation launched Line Music in Japan with 1.5 million licensed tracks and a ¥480 million investment, joining Sony’s PlayStation Music shift and Apple Music’s global debut that year. Meanwhile Ujo Music’s 2015 Ethereum-based platform recorded only 12,000 tracks and $200,000 revenue by 2017, and SoundCloud’s 2026 acquisition of Nina Protocol shows major services absorbing marginal blockchain ventures.

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SoundCloud Acquires Nina

SoundCloud acquired the assets of Nina Protocol, a decentralized music platform that ceased operations in May.
The acquisition gives SoundCloud ownership of Nina’s genre map and other music-discovery infrastructure.
SoundCloud will provide a migration tool and free creator-tools access to former Nina artists through the end of 2026.
Analysts say the integration will reveal whether SoundCloud plans to adopt Nina’s decentralized technology.

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