UPDATED 16:52 EDT / NOVEMBER 18 2013

Apple opened the door to Bitcoin, only to close it a month later

Widely known in some circles, Apple continues to demonstrate its hostile attitude towards Bitcoin. In this case: through the removal of wallets and other applications from its App Store. The latest victim in the series is Coinbase, launched less than a month ago. Yesterday it was deleted without notice and App Store link is no longer available. Last year, Apple removed other Bitcoin apps from its store including BitPak and Blockchain.info.

Coinbase, a start-up that focuses on Bitcoin payments, offers Bitcoin-payment platform for the U.S. market. The US citizen with a bank account can purchase and sales Bitcoin, which can be performed via Coinbase transaction. The exact reason for removing the app is not made by Apple, but possibly the payment method of Coinbase app plays a role.

Coinbase app in Google Play Store is still available. The iOS version taken within one month from the Apple App Store. The news of the app’s disappearance was first reported by Bitcoin Blogger. Apple has formally given no reason for removing the application, as reports TechCrunch, but Coinbase confirms that it has not removed the app by itself.

“We’re not sure why it was taken down and we’ve reached out to Apple to request clarification,” Brian Armstrong, Coinbase CEO and co-founder told TechCrunch.

Coinbase app when available in App Store allowed users to buy, sell and send bitcoins, and manage its portfolio. The Co-founder of Coinbase, Fred Ersham, said during the iOS launch that the new business application is a tool that allows customers to perform transactions with ease.

“This was one more step in our mission to make bitcoin easier to use. Now that I have the iOS app, I use it to pay back my friends when I’m out and about since it’s so much easier than other ways to do it,” Ersham said.

Coinbase thus was became the second application for bitcoin transactions approved in the App Store. The other application is Gliph, a messaging application that allows users to attach bitcoins for recipients.

The launch of the Coinbase mobile app was just one of a number of announcements the company has made in recent months. In July, the company announced instantaneous transactions for their clients to follow subsequently verified by creating SMS interface that allows its users to send and receive Bitcoins via text message. Coinbase has raised over $7 million in funding this year by a group of investors including Union Square Ventures include Ribbit Capitals and others.

This is not the first time Apple expels Bitcoin applications of its shop. Blockchain Wallet and BitPak suffered in the past the wrath of Cupertino, explaining that apps must comply with the laws of the countries where they are available. Blockchain Wallet is nevertheless reappeared, but with limited features. A full version is available, but only for jailbroken iPhone. Apple is afraid that Bitcoin will become a fully-fledged alternative payment method, whereby the company would have to backfire through regular credit card transactions.

The alternative currency, not based on any regulatory authority, getting to know a good success in the world thanks to the anonymity it offers and its decentralized operation and more and more websites and traditional shops agree to be paid in bitcoins, even if it is true it is mostly use to buy illegal drugs.


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