Users of cryptocurrency were surprised and upset as the prominent Bitcoin Lightning wallet, Wallet of Satoshi (WoS), was unexpectedly removed from Apple and Google’s American app stores.
The removal came amid WoS’ busiest month on record, with industry analyst Kevin Rooke noting that the wallet was expected to handle over 1.1 million Lightning payments in November. WoS later tweeted that it had made the ‘difficult decision’ to stop catering to its American client base, although the reason for this move remains unclear. However, WoS apps are still available in other countries.
There has been speculation regarding whether strict policies or in-app purchase commissions of 30% by Apple could have played a role in the withdrawal. Recently, crypto-themed apps such as MetaMask and Damus have briefly disappeared from iOS.
At present, existing US WoS users still have access to their BTC funds. However, the sudden development highlights crypto’s struggles in achieving mainstream mobile adoption. Nonetheless, WoS remains optimistic about potentially resuming services to American customers depending on “future developments” as the demand for Lightning continues to grow.
