Apple’s New App Store Review Guidelines to Allow Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Wallet Apps?
Back in February of this year, Apple famously removed the very last Bitcoin wallet app from the App Store which sparked a lot of confusion and uproar amongst various communities. Now following up from today’s WWDC keynote, Apple has updated their App Store Review Guidelines with new information pertaining to virtual currencies like Bitcoin, Dogecoin and Litecoin. Prior to these new rules Apple banned any app that allowed the transmission of virtual currencies through a wallet (like Blockchain) and only allowed apps such as price tickers or news aggregators. After digging around in the new App Store Review Guidelines, section 11.17 hints that wallet apps can be downloaded from the App Store as long as the virtual currency has been approved and is “in compliance with all state and federal laws for the territories in which the app functions”. That being said, there is now some hope that Apple isn’t completely anti-Bitcoin or anti-virtual currency. Only time will tell until the first crypto-currency wallet app for iOS is submitted and either approved or denied by the App Store review team. Right now our hopes and expectations are high, so maybe Apple has seen the light of day or has had second thoughts since February. Between now and whenever that times does come though, we’ll keep you update to date with the latest information.