Back in January, Apple removed popular Bitcoin app Blockchain from the App Store, after cracking down on several other apps that allowed users to send and receive bitcoin, including Coinbase and Gliph.

Apple's official policy prohibits content that "enables, facilitates, or encourages an activity" that not all countries deem legal, which has left Bitcoin-based apps in a bit of a gray area policy wise.

As of today, Blockchain has returned to the App Store, once again giving iOS users a way to send and receive bitcoin payments, reports bitcoin news site CoinDesk.

blockchain
According to CoinDesk, Apple announced a more open policy towards bitcoin apps during its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, which has led to the return of bitcoin apps to the App Store. From Blockchain CEO Nicolas Cary:

The moment Apple signalled a shift in their policy toward digital currency apps, we pulled the iOS project off the shelf and got to work. We wanted to use this as an opportunity to improve the wallet, but we were still apprehensive about dedicating huge amounts of engineering time because it wasn't clear what types of apps would get through the submission and approval process.

Blockchain for iOS has been redesigned and built from the ground up to improve both security and performance. Along with giving users a way to send and exchange bitcoin, the new Blockchain app can also be used to make purchases from merchants that accept bitcoin, both in physical stores and online.

According to Blockchain's CEO, iOS is an important platform for the company and in the future, the app will be updated to include Android features like the Merchant Map.

Blockchain can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Z400Racer37 Avatar
Z400Racer37
149 months ago
Cool. Thanks for the insight into WBRacing.

I think it's important for the App Store to allow apps like Blockchain, so I'm very happy Apple reversed course on the matter. I'm excited to see what the future holds for virtual currencies, and it's good to know Apple won't be one of the many roadblocks against which they have to contend.

Here here. I want apple to filter viruses and prevent the theft of software with their app store and that is it. I want everything else to be open to innovation, not subject to regulatory whim.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aolbites Avatar
aolbites
149 months ago
well that didn't last long....getting message saying that it is no longer available for purchase

oop, it's back up now.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexgowers Avatar
alexgowers
149 months ago
Bit coin is a great idea that's been truly c##k blocked by the major banks and governments alike, nice to see apple supporting new tech and not squashing it anymore.

I wonder if the app is offering backups of currency though, with iCloud drive they really should so that your money is always safe and sound even if you loose your phone and didn't want to use a third party.

----------

I keep getting "The item you tried to buy no longer available."

Anyone else getting this all morning?

Works here...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nsayer Avatar
nsayer
149 months ago
Apple's official policy prohibits content that "enables, facilitates, or encourages an activity" that not all countries deem legal, which has left Bitcoin-based apps in a bit of a gray area policy wise.
Um... Music is basically illegal in Saudi Arabia. I look forward to Apple removing Pandora from the store forthwith.

On the flip side, online poker for real money is legal in lots of places outside of the U.S. So why aren't they available in the store?

----------

sweet

And with that, the full and complete value of the MacRumors forums and comment system has been realized.

We can all now go home.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aacealo Avatar
aacealo
149 months ago
BitCoin is the exact opposite of inflated. Its entire history has been nothing but deflationary with a few minor inflationary drops. Inflation of currency means the value drops relative to buying power. Now if the claim were that Bitcoin was in a pricing bubble, that would be slightly different. It could be. It might not be. Right now it's a new, low-volume investment. That means its price will fluctuate more than that of other investments. Stability comes with user base.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aacealo Avatar
aacealo
149 months ago
I use BitCoins for a number of things. Right now there's limited user base, but the technology is compelling enough that it's hard to see it not catching on. The main thing standing in the way is the uncertain regulatory climate. This is good news for those of us who want to continue experimenting with a potentially disruptive technology. There are so many uses for "trust free" networks like the Block Chain has enabled. Currency, secure cloud storage, voting, software development, etc. it could all flop, but if it takes off, the early adopters will get rich beyond their wildest dreams, and society at large will benefit big time.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Top Half

Early iOS 26 Software Leak Uncovers Dozens of Upcoming Apple Features

Monday December 15, 2025 3:05 pm PST by
Software from an iPhone prototype running an early build of iOS 26 leaked last week, giving us a glimpse at future Apple devices and iOS features. We recapped device codenames in our prior article, and now we have a list of some of the most notable feature flags that were found in the software code. In some cases, it's obvious what the feature flags are referring to, while some are more...
Read Full Article • 36 comments
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple Leak Confirms Work on Foldable iPhone, AirTag 2, and Dozens More Devices

Monday December 15, 2025 2:05 pm PST by
Last week, details about unreleased Apple devices and future iOS features were shared by Macworld. This week, we learned where the information came from, plus we have more findings from the leak. As it turns out, an Apple prototype device running an early build of iOS 26 was sold, and the person who bought it shared the software. The OS has a version number of 23A5234w, and the first...
Read Full Article • 79 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Beta 1 Features: What's New So Far

Monday December 15, 2025 4:23 pm PST by
Apple is testing iOS 26.3, the next version of iOS 26 that will launch around January. Since iOS 26.3's testing is happening over the holidays, it is a smaller update with fewer features than we've seen in prior betas. We've rounded up what's new so far, and we'll add to our list with subsequent betas if we come across any other features. Transfer to Android Apple is making it simpler...
Read Full Article • 45 comments
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Features Leaked in New Report, Including Under-Screen Face ID

Tuesday December 16, 2025 8:44 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with under-screen Face ID, and the front camera will be moved to the top-left corner of the screen, according to a new report from The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu. As a result of these changes, the report said the iPhone 18 Pro models will not have a pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen....
Read Full Article • 57 comments
Apple Foldable Thumb

Leak Reveals Foldable iPhone Details

Monday December 15, 2025 9:09 am PST by
The first foldable iPhone will feature a series of design and hardware firsts for Apple, according to details shared by the Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station. According to a new post, via machine translation, Apple is developing what the leaker describes as a "wide foldable" device, a term used to refer to a horizontally oriented, book-style foldable with a large internal display....
Read Full Article • 158 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Read Full Article • 90 comments
apple iphone air battery pack

Apple Aims to Boost Popularity of iPhone Air 2 in Two Ways

Tuesday December 16, 2025 11:06 am PST by
We have been covering iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 17e, and iPhone Fold details from The Information's report about future iPhone models, and next up is the iPhone Air 2. The report says that Apple aims to make the iPhone Air 2 more attractive in two ways. First, Apple is apparently considering adding a second rear camera to the device, which would resolve a key limitation. The current iPhone...
Read Full Article • 107 comments
airpods max 2024 colors

AirPods Max 2 Likely to Offer These 10 New Features

Monday December 15, 2025 7:41 am PST by
Apple released the AirPods Max on December 15, 2020, meaning the over-ear headphones launched five years ago today. While the AirPods Max were updated with a USB-C port and new color options last year, followed by support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio this year, the headphones lack some of the features that have been introduced for newer generations of the regular AirPods and the ...
Read Full Article • 36 comments