It Looks Like Apple Is Allowing Bitcoin Wallets Back Into The App Store
Earlier this year, the firm removed all remaining Bitcoin wallet apps from the iOS app store. Though it never stated why, analysts speculated it was due to continuing regulatory uncertainty. Given the penalties authorities were tolling against Bitcoin processors at the time, the risk was too great that Apple itself could get touched.
Last night, Coindesk's Jon Southurst reported a firm called Coin Pocket had successfully uploaded a basic wallet app. Then this morning, word got around that another firm, Bread Wallet, was offering a similar product. And TechNode reports a Hong Kong-based firm has uploaded its own wallet app.
Mike Enriquez, the developer behind Coin Pocket, told BI in an email he'd been expecting to get rejected outright, so was thrilled to learn his app had gone into review instead.
"I uploaded on June 3 and it went into review on June 9," he said. "From previous apps I have submitted to Apple, this step usually takes a few hours before getting into the store. This time it took a few days as it got accepted the night of June 13."
We reported last week on how the Bitcoin community was doing just fine without Apple, having experienced no such problems on Google's Android. One of the world's largest Bitcoin companies, Blockchain, was about to launch its latest Android wallet next month.
Now it seems whatever danger Apple may have sensed has passed.