'Coin Pocket' Becomes First Bitcoin Wallet App on iOS After App Store Policy Change

Earlier this month, Apple updated its App Store review guidelines to allow for "approved" virtual currencies in apps. Now, Coindesk (via The Next Web) reports that Bitcoin wallet app Coin Pocket has launched in the App Store, becoming the first app on iOS that allows users to send and receive the virtual currency.

coinpocket_ios

Bitcoin wallet app Coin Pocket

In addition to Coin Pocket, gift card purchasing app eGifter has also received an update to now accept Bitcoin as a form of payment. Earlier this month, betting app Betcoin also appeared on the App Store with in-app Bitcoin spending capabilities. Its developer, Omri Cohen, noted that the app was an experiment to test what Apple would allow ahead of the policy change on virtual currencies in apps.

Prior to its policy change, Apple displayed past tendencies to remove and deny apps that promoted virtual currencies, notably asking the developers behind private messaging app Gliph to remove the app's Bitcoin sending capabilities. With the launch of Coin Pocket however, it is now likely that users will be seeing many more Bitcoin-related apps in the App Store provided they follow Apple's guidelines.

Coin Pocket [Direct Link], eGifter [Direct Link], and Betcoin [Direct Link] are all free apps for iOS devices and can be downloaded through the App Store.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

iOS 18 Available Now With These 8 New Features For Your iPhone

Sunday September 15, 2024 10:09 am PDT by
Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 18 was finally widely released to the public on Monday, September 16. The update is available in the Settings app under General → Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have highlighted eight key new features included in iOS 18, and Apple shared a complete list of new features and changes last week. Note that Apple...
iOS 18 Public Beta Thumb 1

Here's When iOS 18 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone

Monday September 16, 2024 3:56 am PDT by
It's that time of year again. Apple is about to release iOS 18, which promises to bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and the company is expected to release it sometime today – Monday, September 16. Based on past releases, the update is likely to drop at around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time/1:00 p.m. Eastern...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue Face ID Single Camera Hole

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Friday September 13, 2024 2:40 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
apple silicon mac lineup wwdc 2022 feature purple

M4 Macs, New iPad Mini, and iPad 11 Expected at Upcoming Apple Event

Sunday September 15, 2024 5:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely hold another event in October this year to announce new Macs and iPads. If so, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on Monday, October 30 to announce new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series of chips. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated...
16 pro

iPhone 16 Pro Demand Has Been Lower Than Expected, Analyst Says

Sunday September 15, 2024 3:58 pm PDT by
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max has been "lower than expected" since the devices became available to pre-order in the U.S. and dozens of other countries on Friday. Kuo said his data is based on a "supply chain survey" and shipping estimates listed on Apple's online store. Kuo estimated that sales of all four iPhone 16 models reached...
iphone 16 pro apple intelligence

Apple Intelligence Features Expected to Roll Out in This Order Between iOS 18.1 and iOS 18.4

Friday September 13, 2024 1:01 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will be released to the public on Monday, but the first Apple Intelligence features will not be available until iOS 18.1 is released in October. Apple Intelligence features will continue to roll out in iOS 18.2 and beyond, with the expected roadmap outlined below per Apple's website and rumors. Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro model or any iPhone 16 model, and it will...

Top Rated Comments

Enabledobject Avatar
134 months ago
The state of Bitcoin and its acceptance has changed quite quickly. :D
Which is strange, considering what happened with Mt. Gox.
Unless you're a drug dealer or something, I don't get it.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
134 months ago
Bitcoin is the way of the future, so I'm glad they changed their mind about accepting it. Not gonna lie, it was definitely pretty sketch starting out though :D

Some kind of virtual currencie(s) are the way of the future... not so sure about Bitcoin! Its ultimate importance will be historical I expect. It will pave the way. (And it's wasteful of power, too--an interesting but not elegant long-term solution.)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Di4mondz Avatar
134 months ago
Finally, there's an app for that.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Daalseth Avatar
134 months ago
If you've got a bank account, your wealth is already stored in a virtual wallet; an encrypted mass of ones and zeros. Physical money is just paper that at any time could become completely worthless -- it's all a matter of perspective.

Except that real money in a real bank or credit union is insured. If the bank burns down, the system is hacked and obliterated, or somebody grabs the cash and flees to some other country, there is FDIC or its equivalent to restore your accounts, put the cash back, and make it all right. Bitcoin? Nope. Your Bitcoin house folds and you're SOL.

Bitcoin is not actually a currency, it is a commodity. The argument that it's just as secure, or insecure, as the Dollar or Pound or Yen is specious. While there may be some question as to the stability of real currencies, there is a country to back them. A government, tax revenue, and GDP. Even the Zimbabwean currency is worth something. Bitcoin is just a number. It is worth nothing whatsoever except for the imaginary value investors put on it. There is nothing to back it up.

Nope, I don't do Bitcoin. It shows every sign of being another pyramid scheme that is going to collapse. There's nothing supporting Bitcoin except for hope and naiveté.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NY Guitarist Avatar
134 months ago
Makes money laundering even easier! :rolleyes:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Z400Racer37 Avatar
134 months ago
YES!!!!!!!! Steve, I swear I will never have impure thoughts of switching to Android again. :D
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)