Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong released a statement that the App Store’s guidelines are stifling cryptocurrency’s innovation in a tweet.
Apple, it's time to stop stifling innovation in cryptocurrency. We would like to work with you productively on this. Some day, cryptocurrency could even be integrated into IAP to give people in emerging markets better access to the financial system globally.
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) September 11, 2020
Armstrong, head honcho of the digital currency exchange outlines how Apple has put in numerous restrictions on how digital currency is handled in the App Store policy.
The Coinbase app in iOS prevents the company from earning cryptocurrency revenue and gaining access to decentralized finance apps. In particular, Armstrong emphasizes that the limit stops them from referring users to websites they can visit via app, e.g., DeFi and Dapps.
The Coinbase CEO further argues that Apple’s ruling is similar to Microsoft pushing its users to use Internet Explorer in the past, which led to an antitrust case and government scrutiny.
Most crypto apps are severely limited as they are missing key features. Armstrong intends that he will submit a ‘formal challenge’ to try and change the new review process the Cupertino-based company announced in June.