<p>As far as I know, there have been no submissions of Bitcoin apps to the Mac App Store.</p>

<p>A Bitcoin app for iOS was submitted to the App Store in May 2011 by <a href="https://github.com/udibr" rel="nofollow">Ehud Ben-Reiven</a>. He reported that it was rejected because <a href="https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5550.msg107980#msg107980" rel="nofollow">"...it involves intermediate currency..."</a>. He subsequently <a href="https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5550.msg108749#msg108749" rel="nofollow">open-sourced</a> the code, <a href="https://github.com/udibr/bitcoinApp" rel="nofollow">bitcoinApp</a>, but, as of this writing, it hasn't been updated in years.</p>

<p><a href="http://blockchain.info" rel="nofollow">Blockchain.info</a> had some success in submitting an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blockchain/id493253309?ls=1&amp;mt=8" rel="nofollow">Blockchain app</a> which uses the site's API to do all the heavy work. However, it was <a href="https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=75673.msg889849#msg889849" rel="nofollow">removed without reason in May 2012</a> and <a href="https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=75673.msg1099027#msg1099027" rel="nofollow">later restored in August 2012</a>. This app relies on <a href="http://blockchain.info" rel="nofollow">Blockchain.info</a> as a hosted wallet, though, and is not a fat client.</p>

<p><strong>TL;DR</strong> Apple disallows Bitcoin clients because it considers Bitcoin to be an "intermediate currency".</p>

<p><strong>Speculative TL;DR</strong> Apple disallows Bitcoin clients directly because it's a payments system that circumvents Apple's desire to take a cut of all money that flows within its app ecosystem. It's not known how Venmo and other payment networks are allowed to circumvent that, if they even do.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-19T06:42:48.487Z
I might be misreading the question but it seems to be about MacOSX as opposed to iOS.
David Perry
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-19T18:25:12.870Z
Good point. I would think, though, that the same principles apply since Apple would likely apply the same rules to the App Store for Mac as it does the (iTunes/iOS) App Store.
Colin Dean
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-19T18:41:25.987Z
Yes, but the technical challenge of porting QT to iOS would be negated :)
David Perry
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-19T20:01:50.103Z
Good point. I moved that comment to here:

Bitcoin-QT itself is tightly coupled to the QT GUI framework. There is as of November 2012 an effort to port QT to iOS by [Mediator Software](http://mediator-software.com/) as well as an internal [iOS effort by the QT team](http://www.qt-iphone.com/Introduction.html), but the latter hasn't seen much development since mid-2011. 

I'm speculating here, but it is unlikely that there would be an effort from the central bitcoin team to port Bitcoin-QT to iOS.
Colin Dean
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-13T10:54:32.403Z
@ColinDean, but the OP talked about MacOS, not iOS, and AFAIK QT is compatible with MacOSX today.
knocte
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-14T03:09:32.647Z
Compatible, yes. Permissible to use in Apps on the Mac App Store? Yes. As far as I know, there has not been an effort to get Bitcoin-Qt onto it, nor has another Bitcoin client made its way onto the App Store for Mac.
Colin Dean
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-18T16:38:29.133Z
2012-11-19T20:02:25.400Z
2012-11-19T20:02:25.400Z
Colin Dean
<p>I assume that someone may have tried to upload a Bitcoin app and it was rejected, but does anyone have information on what specific rules Bitcoin-related applications violate on the App Store?</p>

<bitcoin-core><client><ios><appstore>
Why isn't Bitcoin-QT or any other Bitcoin related app on the App Store for Mac?
makerofthings7
# Why isn't Bitcoin-QT or any other Bitcoin related app on the App Store for Mac?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-11-18)

I assume that someone may have tried to upload a Bitcoin app and it was rejected, but does anyone have information on what specific rules Bitcoin-related applications violate on the App Store?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, client, ios, appstore


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-11-18. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

As far as I know, there have been no submissions of Bitcoin apps to the Mac App Store.

A Bitcoin app for iOS was submitted to the App Store in May 2011 by [Ehud Ben-Reiven](https://github.com/udibr). He reported that it was rejected because ["...it involves intermediate currency..."](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5550.msg107980#msg107980). He subsequently [open-sourced](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5550.msg108749#msg108749) the code, [bitcoinApp](https://github.com/udibr/bitcoinApp), but, as of this writing, it hasn't been updated in years.

[Blockchain.info](http://blockchain.info) had some success in submitting an [Blockchain app](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blockchain/id493253309?ls=1&mt=8) which uses the site's API to do all the heavy work. However, it was [removed without reason in May 2012](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=75673.msg889849#msg889849) and [later restored in August 2012](https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=75673.msg1099027#msg1099027). This app relies on [Blockchain.info](http://blockchain.info) as a hosted wallet, though, and is not a fat client.

**TL;DR** Apple disallows Bitcoin clients because it considers Bitcoin to be an "intermediate currency".

**Speculative TL;DR** Apple disallows Bitcoin clients directly because it's a payments system that circumvents Apple's desire to take a cut of all money that flows within its app ecosystem. It's not known how Venmo and other payment networks are allowed to circumvent that, if they even do.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I might be misreading the question but it seems to be about MacOSX as opposed to iOS.  
> **username_1**: Good point. I would think, though, that the same principles apply since Apple would likely apply the same rules to the App Store for Mac as it does the (iTunes/iOS) App Store.  
> **username_2**: Yes, but the technical challenge of porting QT to iOS would be negated :)  
> **username_1**: Good point. I moved that comment to here:  Bitcoin-QT itself is tightly coupled to the QT GUI framework. There is as of November 2012 an effort to port QT to iOS by [Mediator Software](http://mediator-software.com/) as well as an internal [iOS effort by the QT team](http://www.qt-iphone.com/Introduction.html), but the latter hasn't seen much development since mid-2011.   I'm speculating here, but it is unlikely that there would be an effort from the central bitcoin team to port Bitcoin-QT to iOS.  
> **username_3**: @username_1, but the OP talked about MacOS, not iOS, and AFAIK QT is compatible with MacOSX today.  
> **username_1**: Compatible, yes. Permissible to use in Apps on the Mac App Store? Yes. As far as I know, there has not been an effort to get Bitcoin-Qt onto it, nor has another Bitcoin client made its way onto the App Store for Mac.  

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