News agency ANI reports that Chat application Wiper has been removed from Apple’s iOS App Store in China after the government put pressure. The decision according to Wiper’s CEO is based on the fact that it is due to violating that app store’s policies. He says that Apple explained to the company by phone that this violation was related to Wiper enabling Bitcoin payments.
The sources from the company say that the application is designed to provide users with control over their sent and received messages. Nonetheless, the app developer recently rolled out support for Bitcoin transactions between users that allow individuals to send crypto-currency to others inside the app’s main chat interface.
Lots of early users claim that when the company first rolled out Bitcoin integration, they tested it and found it a competent way to share Bitcoin. Nonetheless, the decision by Wiper which saw quick growth in recent months is expected to encourage other similar services providers to facilitate the digital currency, vigorously.
The company’s own metrics claim that the app has received 8 million downloads in the last 90 days; however, a download does not a monthly active user make, but the uptake among users makes it ban more interesting. Interestingly, the last summer, Wiper raised $2.5 million to add value to the core functionality that separates it from other chat apps.
As Wiper believes that Bitcoin has huge potential helping out the underbanked global population that does have access to smartphones, the decision to help them send and receive Bitcoin was a natural decision. The company says that there are around 2.5 billion people who meet that criteria; this according to it is a huge number.
Bitcoin is the Best Thing for Remittance Market
The company says that Wiper is a simple, intuitive way to introduce better financial tools, particularly; remittances are an obvious Bitcoin use-case. However, the ban has posted huge displeasure among Bitcoin supporters in China who see it as a threat. Recent media reports say around 80 percent of Bitcoin transactions at current tip are associated with Yuan.
Thus, Yuan is becoming popular among the users; the dollar of the US is the second most popular currency for Bitcoin-denominated transactions with traditional currencies. Interestingly, Bitcoin and China have long had a tempestuous relationship and rumors of increased regulation of Bitcoin inside the nation have been known to swing its price as well.
To contact the reporter of this story: Deepak Tiwari at deepak@forexminute.com
The sources from the company say that the application is designed […]