The nostalgia of six-second looping videos might soon become a reality again. Recent activity on X suggests that Vine could be making a much-anticipated comeback.
Vine, a short-form video platform that launched on iOS in 2013, was a cultural phenomenon and the launchpad for some of today’s most widely used memes. Purchased by Twitter for $30M in 2012, the app allowed users to create and share six-second videos, fostering a unique style of humor, storytelling, and creativity all wrapped up into one.
Vine played a major role in shaping internet culture, launching the careers of influencers and meme creators who would later dominate other platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Think Lele Pons, Logan Paul, Liza Koshy, and King Bach to name a few.
Despite its massive popularity, Vine struggled with monetization and competition, leading Twitter to shut it down in 2017. However, its influence still lingers, with many of its viral trends and stars continuing to shape our day-to-day online experiences and interactions.
Could Vine return to revolutionize short-form content once more? Let’s dive into the details and what this means for the future of video on X.
Elon Admits He’s Seriously Considering It
On January 19th, 2025, Elon Musk confirmed that X was “looking into” reviving the 6-second video platform. And, it makes a lot of sense as to why. Vine would make way for a younger audience and allow X to become a leader in the short-form video space.
While X is commonly used for up-to-date news, conversation, and real-time world events, it has room to grow when it comes to entertainment. When we think of short-form video dominance, X is typically last on the list amongst the major players.
X Employees Flirt with the Idea
Elon’s not-so-cryptic comment has set the rumor mill spinning and posts from X employees have only fueled the excitement.
From sincere prompts for feedback to straight-up engagement farming, X employees are joining in on the fun and throwing around their own ideas about bringing back the app.
Vine Founder Releases $VINE Coin and Begins Testing on X
Adding to the speculation, Rus Yusupov, one of the original founders of Vine, has introduced a $VINE coin and hinted at a revival, saying that “Vine will return and revive an original and authentic video platform on X.” There are also screenshots circulating eluding to the fact that $VINE could be used as a way of paying creators.
The token was announced on January 22nd, 2025 via a post on X, only two days before the anniversary of Vine’s original launch back on January 24th, 2013. All DEV tokens have been locked until 4/20 at 4:20pm – go figure.
Yusupov has also begun running 6-second video tests on X and has even shared a special $VINE waitlist. As a DEV, he continues to keep the community updated and excited for what’s to come.
To learn more about Yusupov’s commitment to bringing back Vine, I invite you to read through Rus’ thread below. You can also join the $VINE Tribe Community on X for up-to-date news and the latest coin information.
Remember those X employees I mentioned earlier? Well, some of them have even begun buying $VINE.
$VINE Community Finds Hidden Clues
Never underestimate CT (aka Crypto Twitter). The community is filled with intelligent and passionate individuals who are always up to the test.
The $VINE Tribe Community has been diligently examining code, reading through trademark and policy copy, and finding traces of short-form videos in the code found on Vine’s website.
OG Vine Celebs Add to the Conversation
Vine is dear to all of us including those whose careers were catapulted by the app. Could they know something we don’t? Why else would they suddenly start posting about Vine this many years later?
If X was to roll out a launch, I wouldn’t be surprised if they called in the big guns for some help.
Vine: Coming to an App Store Near You?
At this point, the question isn’t if Vine is making a comeback, it’s merely a matter of when. You have Vine’s original founder spearheading the project, X employees chiming in, and even Elon himself talking about it.
Plus, with the uncertainty of TikTok looming, the timing couldn’t be better. Re-introducing Vine would mean bringing a massive short-form video app back to American soil.
While we don’t know when the app or X feature will roll out, it’s becoming more and more evident with each passing day that you’ll be able to take a stroll scroll down memory lane soon.
