One of the world's largest pirate streaming sites, Cineby, shuts down on August 26 without explanation

The administration of Cineby, one of the world's largest pirate online movie theaters, has announced the permanent shutdown of the service, according to TorrentFreak. The platform will cease operations "forever" on August 26, 2026. All data, including user accounts, will be deleted, and servers will be taken offline. Until that date, the site will continue to function, but the administration offers no guarantees about its stability.

Cineby was among the most popular pirate streaming services on the internet. TorrentFreak reports that the site attracted 160 million visits in July 2026 alone. A key feature of the service was that it did not store copies of illegally distributed content on its own servers. Instead, Cineby provided access to videos hosted on third-party platforms, offering search and content categorization tools.

The administration's announcement does not specify the reasons for the closure. However, TorrentFreak suggests that the most likely cause is sustained pressure from Hollywood studios and law enforcement agencies in several countries. The shutdown will also affect related platforms linked to Cineby. The credibility of the administration's statement is questioned by the publication, as pirate sites of this scale often relaunch under new domain names.