Apple’s dislike of bitcoin has been on display for quite some while now, but the cyber-currency has been hit yet again as Apple removed Blockchain — the world’s most popular bitcoin wallet — from its App Store late Wednesday.
Apple had previously removed fellow wallets BitPak and Coinbase — while Blockchain had previously found itself excised, only to later be re-accepted.
Existing Blockchain users (around 1 million in total) will still be able to run the app on their Macs and iOS devices, but will be unable to get software updates via Apple.
While some have suggested that Apple is anti-bitcoin on account of the confusing nature of international regulations concerning the currency, Blockchain CEO Nicolas Cary has another idea: that it relates to Apple’s plans to get involved with mobile payments.
“I think that Apple is positioning itself to take [this on] in a way they haven’t described to the public and they’re being anti-competitive,” Cary told Wired.
A petition to get Apple to accept bitcoin wallets can be signed here.
Source: Wired