MetaMask’s Disappearance from Apple App Store Raise Questions

Top cryptocurrency wallet provider MetaMask has reappeared on the Apple App Store after a temporary removal on October 14. The unexplained removal raised concerns within the crypto community.

On Saturday, MetaMask acknowledged that its app was briefly unavailable on the Apple App Store. The company emphasized that the removal was not due to any malicious activities associated with the application.

At the time, the wallet provider warned its community to be wary of any fake apps that might appear on the platform. It wrote:

“If you come across any fake MetaMask apps on the App Store, please report them immediately. Our top priority is to get this sorted out quickly and protect users from any fake apps.”

Shortly after, the store restored the app without providing any official explanation for its initial removal.

Speculation in the crypto community links the removal to Apple’s 30% fee policy on app and in-app purchase downloads from its store. This policy has led to backlash from those advocating for the growth of Web3 technologies.

Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time MetaMask has faced such an issue with app store providers.

In 2019, the app was suspended from the Google Play Store due to policy violations.

Community Concerns and Reactions

The lack of a clear explanation from MetaMask regarding the removal has caused concern among its 30 million users. Crypto community members are voicing their worries, with some directing blame at Apple.

Anatoly Yakovenko, the co-founder of Solana, has called for developing alternative app stores to address concerns over the power of major app store providers. He said:

“It’s like we need an alternative app store or something. I feel like it’s going to take an act of Congress to force side-loading apps on all ‘operating systems.”

Adam Cochran, a partner at Cinneamhain Ventures, wondered whether the removal was linked to MetaMask’s recent addition of Stripe as a payment method.

“Apple has a lot of weird requirements on payment processing on which processors can be used with which features vs requiring apple pay,” Cochran added.

It’s worth noting that various cryptocurrency-related apps, such as Coinbase Wallet, have previously encountered challenges with Apple’s app store. In June, Apple removed the decentralized social media platform Damus from its App Store due to its zaps feature.

Additionally, decentralized exchange Uniswap reported difficulties securing a listing on Apple’s App Store before April 2023.