SoundCloud acquires independent music platform Nina Protocol

SoundCloud has acquired independent music platform Nina Protocol, the company announced via its website on July 22. SoundCloud said the deal brings together "two platforms united by a shared mission to champion independent artists and scenes," each aiming to build more sustainable ways for artists to earn from their work.

Founded in 2021, Nina Protocol let artists upload and distribute music directly to fans using blockchain technology, allowing them to keep both ownership and the proceeds of their sales while the platform funded itself through a $1 charge on each purchase. In May, Nina Protocol announced it was stepping back from the platform, saying it did not have enough revenue to sustain itself at its current size.

The acquisition brings SoundCloud control of Nina Protocol's editorial archive and genre map, preserving what it called a "rich collection of music journalism, artist features, and cultural commentary." Nina's artists will be able to carry their followers, music and other work over to SoundCloud, and can claim five months of free Artist Pro Subscription during the migration.

In a statement, Nina Protocol said the move followed conversations with SoundCloud's team about "their history and future plans for supporting direct fan-to-artist monetisation," adding: "we felt there was a natural continuation between their mission and ours: helping independent artists create on their own terms." SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton said the platform has "always believed that the next movements in music emerge from communities long before they reach the mainstream," calling that belief "deeply aligned with the mission Nina has championed from the very beginning."

SoundCloud says artists moving over from Nina Protocol will keep 100% of their royalties through its Fan Support, on-demand vinyl and distribution services. No timeline has been given for when the migration will be complete.