Mask Network takes over Lens Protocol with the goal of creating a "product that people actually use."

**Lens Protocol Leadership Transitions to Mask Network** Effective January 21, the original team behind Lens Protocol will no longer steer its development. The SocialFi project announced Tuesday that Mask Network will “host and lead” the protocol’s next phase. Launched in early 2022 by Aave founder Stani Kulechov, Lens Protocol was initially framed as “building Twitter on Ethereum.” Kulechov noted on X (formerly Twitter) Tuesday: “We’ve built Lens Protocol and its underlying on-chain infrastructure—including advanced decentralized content storage governed by smart contracts. Our goal is to create neutral social infrastructure for developers to build consumer-grade apps that reach mainstream users.” About a year after launching on Polygon, Lens reported supporting over 110k social accounts and spawning hundreds of apps. On the same day, Mask Network outlined its Lens roadmap on X: “The next stage isn’t more protocols—it’s building truly usable products, fostering a shared culture, and growing a truly thriving community.” Mask Network also backs the decentralized social ecosystem Mastodon. In 2022, it acquired the second-largest Mastodon server as part of its SocialFi expansion strategy.