Bitcoin Lightning App Wallet of Satoshi Disappears from US App Stores
The popular Bitcoin (BTC) Lightning payments app, Wallet of Satoshi (WoS), has mysteriously disappeared from both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store in the United States. This happened as the app approaches processing over 1 million transactions for the month of November.
Disappearance from US App Stores
On November 24, a number of users and members of the crypto community took to Twitter to share their attempts to search for the WoS app, only to find that it returned no results or redirected them to competing wallet apps. A tweet from a user, ck, questioned if Wallet of Satoshi had been banned in the US, highlighting the concern within the community.
However, the app still remains available for download on the Australian Apple App Store and the Australian and Singapore Google Play Store versions at the time of writing.
Impressive Transaction Numbers
Wallet of Satoshi has been a popular Lightning payments platform and is on track to process over 1.1 million Lightning payments in November. This would mark the largest month of Lightning payments ever processed by the platform, according to industry author and podcaster Kevin Rooke.
Response from Apple
While Apple and Wallet of Satoshi did not immediately respond to requests for more details about the app’s disappearance from the US App Stores, speculations and concerns have been raised within the community about the sudden removal.
Apple’s Struggle with Crypto Apps
Apple’s strict policies and hefty in-app payment tax of 30% have been a barrier for many crypto platforms wanting to be present on the App Store. This has resulted in legal actions, with a recent class-action lawsuit filed against Apple by disgruntled PayPal Venmo and Block Cash App users, claiming anti-competitive agreements.
Apple has a history of removing crypto apps, including the delisting of a Nostr-based app with a Bitcoin tip feature, and briefly pulling the MetaMask wallet app from its App Store in October.
Conclusion
The disappearance of Wallet of Satoshi from the US App Stores has raised questions and concerns within the crypto community, as Apple’s stance on crypto apps continues to be a point of contention. The platform’s impressive transaction numbers for November were abruptly halted by its sudden disappearance, leaving users and industry experts puzzled and seeking answers.
I have over 10 years of experience in the field of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. I have attended numerous conferences and events around the world, and my work has been featured in major publications such as CoinDesk, Bitcoin Magazine, and Yahoo Finance.
