MetaMask, one of the leading cryptocurrency wallet applications, faced a temporary setback when it was removed from Apple’s App Store in the United States on Saturday. However, within a few hours, the app was restored and made available for download again.
The incident was initially brought to light by Twitter user @WatcherGuru, who reported the removal of MetaMask from the App Store. Shortly after, a comment from what appeared to be a MetaMask representative confirmed that the team was aware of the issue and working to resolve it as soon as possible.
The representative, believed to be MetaMask lead product manager Taylor Monahan, expressed concern about the removal of legitimate applications from the App Store, as it creates room for malicious apps and phishers to take advantage of users. Monahan urged users to report any fake MetaMask apps they come across in the App Store.
ConsenSys, the parent company of MetaMask, also confirmed the removal but reassured users that there was no security issue or compromise associated with it. Elo Gimenez, global public relations director for ConsenSys, emphasized that there was no action required from users and solicited the help of the crypto community in reporting any fake MetaMask apps.
Gimenez reiterated that their team was working diligently to resolve the issue promptly and anticipated MetaMask’s return to the App Store shortly. Indeed, by midday Saturday, the app was reinstated and available for download once again.
While MetaMask faced a temporary removal from the App Store, other popular cryptocurrency wallet apps like Coinbase, Uniswap, and Binance remained unaffected and available for users.
This is not the first time MetaMask experienced app store issues. In 2019, the app was temporarily removed from the Google Play store but was restored after a week. MetaMask co-founder and co-lead developer Dan Finlay expressed frustration with Apple’s App Store policies in December 2022 when the Coinbase app was removed, stating his readiness to leave the Apple ecosystem.
As of now, there is no further information on the cause of the removal or any specific actions taken by Apple. The incident serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by cryptocurrency wallet applications in navigating app store policies and maintaining access for users.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available on the situation.
