LimeWire returns after 12 years, but not as file-sharing site

The site will relaunch as a music-focussed NFT marketplace in May

LimeWire has been inactive since 2010 after being shut down by a court order (LimeWire)

More than a decade after shutting down, the file-sharing site LimeWire is making a comeback as a marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other digital assets.

As one of the most popular peer-to-peer file-sharing sites – alongside BitTorrent and Napster – the website was accused of copyright infringement on a “massive scale” after attracting online pirates.

Its closure in 2010 came after a protracted legal battle with the Recording Industry Association of America, which resulted in an injunction that prevented the “searching, downloading, uploading, file trading and/or file distribution functionality” of its software.

LimeWire’s intellectual property and other assets were purchased by Austrian brothers Julian and Paul Zehetmayr last year, who now plan to relaunch it as a platform to make music-related NFTs more accessible.

“The biggest challenge with digital collectibles and the broader crypto market in general is that it’s really limited to a small group of savvy users,” Paul Zehetmayr said in a statement.

“The entry barrier is still too big to allow for mainstream adoption. If you are an average music fan on the internet, you might not own any cryptocurrency or have access to a crypto wallet, let alone understand the mechanics of collectibles on the blockchain. We want to remove all those obstacles and make it easy for people to participate, while at the same time offering an exciting platform for crypto natives.”

LimeWire’s relaunch aims to ‘bring digital collectibles to everybody (LimeWire)

The website is currently allowing people to sign up to a waitlist for early access, before a full launch is planned in May.

It describes itself as a “mainstream-ready, digital collectibles marketplace for art and entertainment, initially focussing on music”.

The Zehetmayr brothers, who serve as co-chief executives of LimeWire, said the revamped platform will partner with the music industry and artists in order to offer NFTs of exclusive content.

“It’s important to note that we are not relaunching LimeWire as an alternative to streaming platforms, but rather as an additional channel for artists to sell exclusive music and art directly to collectors,” Julian Zehetmayr said.

“We will also offer a unique method for artists to connect and engage with their most loyal community of fans.”