Amino was a social media application originally developed by Narvii, Inc. It was originally created by Yin Wang and Ben Anderson in 2010, and then launched as an app in 2012. Amino was acquired by MediaLab AI Inc in January 2021, and the founders are no longer associated with the application. The platform paused its operations in December 2025; the reason is still unknown.

History: In 2010, Wang and Anderson came up with the idea for a convention-like community while attending an anime convention in Boston, Massachusetts. Later that year, they would release two apps revolving around K-pop and photography that allowed fans of those subjects to chat freely. That same year, Amino was officially released.

Mysterious Pause: In early December 2025, the Amino platform appeared to abruptly stop all operations. Users worldwide lost access to the mobile application and website, with server requests returning connection time-out errors. Parent company MediaLab AI has issued no official statement regarding the cause, however this isn't a permanence of the shutdown since MediaLab stays silent.

Last message: According to Shawn, a (former) member of Amino support, Amino has paused operation as of December 19th. The message that was sent out from Shawn reads:

"Hey there, Thanks for your message. Amino has ceased operations. As of December 19th, we no longer retain personal data relating to you. Accordingly, we are unable to provide a copy of your data.

Kind regards,

- Amino Support"

This message was sent on January 4th, 2026. This was the final support message sent from the Amino Support mail, although there was still no confirmation of whether or not the closure was permanent.

Impact and Legacy: People were crying that they paused and abruptly stop all operations in December 2025 as people are disappointing that they want to bring back and renaming it to Amino 2.0. A new version called Amino 2.0, that incorporates the beloved features of the original platform while integrating modern social media functionalities. This can include enhanced security measures, improved user interface, new networking tools, Amino 2.0 Support mail and new features that cater to both existing users and newcomers. Plus they also have archived versions of previous ones that were originally from Amino, such as pop culture (movies, TV, games, music, etc.), cosplays aka costumes, fanart, etc., etc.. Amino 2.0 is coming soon both the web and mobile devices (like iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play)).

Please join us in calling for the immediate release of Amino 2.0 to bring back the heart of our digital communities. Your support is crucial in showing the developers that there is a strong, active demand for the platform's return. Sign the petition to bring back and release Amino 2.0. #BringBackAmino #ReleaseAmino2.0 #Amino2.0