Apple has just updated its App Store review guidelines related to cryptocurrency, clearly banning the use of any “unrelated background processes”, such as cryptocurrency mining, in iPhone and iPad apps as well as in any third party advertisements displayed within them, AppleInsider is reporting.
Previously, the only mention of cryptocurrencies in Apple’s guidelines for the App Store was that apps were allowed to facilitate cryptocurrency or Bitcoin transactions “provided that they do so in compliance with all state and federal laws for the territories in which the app functions”. But now, an entire section on cryptocurrencies has been added to the guidelines:
“Apps may facilitate virtual currency storage, provided they are offered by developers enrolled as an organization.” In addition, apps may not mine directly for cryptocurrencies, unless the mining is performed in the cloud or otherwise off-device. Apps may “facilitate transactions or transmissions of cryptocurrency on an approved exchange, provided they are offered by the exchange itself,” although apps facilitating Initial Coin Offerings (“ICOs”) must originate from “established banks, securities firms, futures commission merchants (“FCM”), or other approved financial institutions.” And finally, cryptocurrency-related apps “may not offer currency for completing tasks, such as downloading other apps, encouraging other users to download, posting to social networks.”
Apple had pulled crypto-related apps from the App Store like Coinbase, citing an unresolved issue, though the apps later returned in 2017, following which for a time, Coinbase became the most downloaded app in the App Store.
