Nina Protocol
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music streaming, Blockchain, Music distribution |
| Founded | 2021 |
| Founders | Jack Callahan, Mike Pollard, Eric Farber |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, United States |
Key people | Jack Callahan Mike Pollard Eric Farber |
| Products | Music streaming platform |
| Services | Music streaming, music distribution, online marketplace |
| Website | ninaprotocol |
Nina Protocol is an American audio streaming and media service provider founded in New York in 2021 by Jack Callahan, Mike Pollard, and Eric Farber. Emerging during the 2020s NFT-boom, the platform is a decentralized, blockchain-based music distribution service, forum and marketplace that allows independent artists to sell music directly to fans and retain all of their revenue.
History
Nina Protocol was founded in New York in 2021 by Jack Callahan, Mike Pollard, and Eric Farber.[1] Writing for Rolling Stone magazine, Jeff Ihaza described the site as a remnant of the "2020s NFT-boom".[1] Though he adds that the platform has avoided "the familiar Crypto hype cycles".[1] The platform acts as a peer-to-peer streaming service which encourages artists to upload their work to its blockchain.[1] According to a 2025 article on the platform by The Guardian, the site's staff is a "five-person team".[2] The site's use of blockchain allows to "cut out the middle man of private profit-oriented companies".[3]
Nina Protocol has pushed for curated discovery for experimental and independent artists such as Surf Gang and Jawnino.[3] The site has largely been described as an opposition to mainstream streaming platforms like Spotify who focus on primarily algorithmically curated playlists focused on larger artists.[3] In 2025, Mike Pollard the founder of Nina Protocol stated in an interview with The Guardian that "I can see a world where Spotify doesn't exist".[2][4][5][6][7][8]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Ihaza, Jeff (2025-10-10). "This Company Wants Everyone to Earn Money From Streams -- Even Fans". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ^ a b Wray, Daniel Dylan (2025-11-11). "'I can see a world where Spotify doesn't exist': will a new generation of music streaming companies succeed?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ^ a b c Dazed (2024-07-12). "Is this the music streaming platform of the future?". Dazed. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ^ "IN CONVERSATION WITH: Mike Pollard". www.archetype.fund. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ^ [email protected] (2025-09-08). "Independent Icons Take Control: Merlin Connect and Nina Protocol Unlock New Era of Artist-to-Fan Connection". Merlin. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ^ "Nina Protocol Launches Revenue Share System That Pays Fans for Music Discovery". www.recordoftheday.com. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ^ "Is it Finally Time to Leave Spotify?". Dance Policy. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
- ^ "Numero Group joins independent streaming platform Nina Protocol · News ⟋ RA". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 2026-02-10.