SoundCloud has acquired Nina Protocol, the independent music platform that is winding down operations after five years.
The deal hands SoundCloud Nina’s editorial archive and “genre map,” and opens a migration process for Nina‘s artists to move their music, content, and followers to SoundCloud.
Financial terms of the acquisition, announced on Wednesday (July 22), were not disclosed.
Nina announced in late May that it would wind down in phases over the following weeks.
Its site was set to go fully offline on July 22, the same day the SoundCloud deal was announced.
“While our work created meaningful connections and helped foster listeners’ love for new music, we were unable to find a revenue strategy that would give Nina a path to sustainability at its current size,” the company said in its wind-down statement.
“While our work created meaningful connections and helped foster listeners’ love for new music, we were unable to find a revenue strategy that would give Nina a path to sustainability at its current size.”
Nina Protocol
In that statement, Nina named SoundCloud among the platforms it said continued to inspire it, alongside Bandcamp, Tidal, and Qobuz.
SoundCloud said Nina‘s artists can opt in to its creator ecosystem, gaining access to its distribution, monetization, and audience tools.
SoundCloud said the archive will help surface emerging artists and scenes to listeners across its platform.
Nina Protocol was founded in 2021 in New York by Jack Callahan, Mike Pollard, and Eric Farber.
It ran as a blockchain-based marketplace, streaming service, and editorial site, letting artists sell music directly to listeners and keep 100% of their sales.
The platform pitched itself as an alternative to major streaming services and was often compared to Bandcamp.
Artists including ML Buch, Yung Lean, and Surgeon released music through Nina, as did labels such as Warp Records and Hyperdub.
Eliah Seton, CEO of SoundCloud, said: “As the platform where millions of artists begin their journey, we’ve always believed that the next movements in music emerge from communities long before they reach the mainstream.”
“That belief is deeply aligned with the mission Nina has championed from the very beginning. They built an incredible platform by putting independent artists, scenes, and communities first, and our priority is to honor what they’ve created, while carrying that mission forward.”
“As the platform where millions of artists begin their journey, we’ve always believed that the next movements in music emerge from communities long before they reach the mainstream.”
Eliah Seton, SoundCloud
“Together,” Seton added, “we’ll help more independent artists build deeper relationships with fans, unlock new ways to earn, and access the tools they need to grow sustainable careers on their own terms.”
Mike Pollard, CEO and Co-founder of Nina Protocol, said: “Nina has always been about empowering independent artists and documenting the communities that drive music forward. SoundCloud built that foundation: without SoundCloud, there wouldn’t be Nina.”
“As we considered the future of the platform, we wanted to ensure our artists and editorial work found a home that shared and actively practiced those values. SoundCloud was the natural choice.”
Mike Pollard, Nina Protocol
“As we considered the future of the platform, we wanted to ensure our artists and editorial work found a home that shared and actively practiced those values. SoundCloud was the natural choice.”
The acquisition follows a run of product changes at SoundCloud focused on artist earnings.
In November 2025, the company scrapped the revenue share on its distribution service, letting subscribing artists keep 100% of their royalties from distribution to Spotify, Apple Music, and other services.
That overhaul also added a zero-commission Fan Support feature, on-demand vinyl, merchandise, and artist storefronts, part of what Seton has called “the next major revenue format” in music.
Those tools are among what SoundCloud is now offering Nina‘s artists.
SoundCloud‘s payout tools also include Fan-Powered Royalties, an engagement-based model it has run with independent artists as well as Warner Music Group and Merlin.
The Nina deal is SoundCloud‘s first announced acquisition since 2022, when it bought Singapore AI music company Musiio.
SoundCloud’s majority owners, Raine Group and Temasek, explored a sale with a reported price tag in excess of USD $1 billion in early 2024, though no deal has been completed.
Nina said its users can claim free Artist Pro access on SoundCloud for a five-month trial of Artist Pro on SoundCloud.
“To the Nina community: welcome,” SoundCloud said in its announcement. “We’re excited to build what’s next together.”Music Business Worldwide
