SoundCloud has acquired Nina Protocol, the independent, DIY-friendly music platform founded in New York in 2021 by three people including musician Jack Callahan. The move comes after Nina Protocol had announced in May that it planned to shut down entirely by 15 July, meaning the acquisition effectively rescues the platform and its community rather than letting it disappear.

The deal was announced jointly by both companies on social media, with Nina Protocol's founders saying it ensures their platform's "vision, context and community" will continue under an organisation whose ethos they say resonates with their own. Artists can optionally migrate their music to SoundCloud using a dedicated tool, and will be offered free Artist Pro accounts on SoundCloud until the end of the year. Financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.