The well-known Ethereum wallet, MetaMask, was temporarily taken down from Apple’s App Store on Saturday, only to be reinstated later.
“We’ve noted that MetaMask is currently not up for download on the App Store,” the team communicated through a post on X (previously known as Twitter). “It’s not due to any malicious reasons, and our team is diligently working to sort it out at the earliest.”
MetaMask is a pivotal tool for users to interact with various decentralized applications (DApps) in the Web3 environment, with a staggering global user base exceeding 30 million.
Furthermore, MetaMask reassured its users that there are no security threats and they don’t need to take any specific actions. They also clarified that the removal wasn’t related to any issues with the app’s operational capabilities.
“MetaMask should soon be available again on the App Store,” they conveyed.
This isn’t a unique incident for MetaMask regarding hurdles with application platforms governed by technology behemoths.
Back in December 2019, Google pulled MetaMask from its Play Store, pointing to a breach of financial services rules. The root of the issue was Google’s stance against crypto mining on mobile devices.
Even though MetaMask contested the decision, Google persisted with the ban.
Apple’s 30% Revenue Cut Poses a Challenge to Crypto Apps
Apple mandates that app developers allocate 30% of their transaction revenues to the tech giant.
This stipulation poses challenges for cryptocurrency enterprises, especially those dealing in non-fungible tokens (NFTs), as they endeavor to cater to iOS users.
In a related event, Apple ousted the Bitcoin-friendly social platform, Damus, from its App Store on grounds of breaching its service terms.
Damus boasts a tipping functionality that empowers content creators to garner tips in Bitcoin via the Lightning Network.
Apple flagged this feature as non-compliant with its guidelines. The tech titan’s rules bar developers from offering additional in-app purchases unless such transactions are channeled through Apple, from which they claim a 30% share.
