Wiper, a messaging application known for its privacy policy, disappeared from China’s iOS App Store after starting bitcoin payments.
Wiper, a popular chat app providing its users with the opportunity to manage their messages and use voice chat via an encrypted call system, vanished from China’s App Store. The reason is a new tool which appeared in its recent update. The new-added feature enabled bitcoin transactions between users.
Manlio Carrelli, Wiper CEO, told that the app was “removed from the iOS App Store in China due to violating that app store’s policies,” and that “Apple [had] explained to [the company] by phone that this violation was related to Wiper enabling bitcoin payments,” reportsTechCrunch .
It’s necessary to say that both app users as well as cryptocurrency enthusiasts supported the addition of bitcoin payments. The app under discussion has become big really fast. According to the company, during the last 3 months the app has received 8 million downloads. Moreover, last year Wiper received $2.5 million in funding.
Wiper’s most important feature that makes it different and particularly popular at the same time is the possibility to cancel any message. Any user who sent something that he or she would like to erase, is able to delete it as well as “any temporary record kept on Wiper servers,” according to Mr. Carrelli. So, the conversation would be cancelled either from the the sender’s phone or from the receiver’s one.
The fact that Wiper was removed from the Chinese App Store seems at least strange as far as bitcoin is quite popular in China. About 80 % of bitcoin transactions are linked to the Chinese traditional currency, according to the new study by Goldman Sachs. The US dollar is ranked the second most popular currency for bitcoin-denominated transactions with traditional currencies.
Wiper is convinced that bitcoin is a tool able to help those customers who have no possibility to access to adequate banking but have access to smartphones. The company states that 2.5 billion people worldwide meet that description.
Again, Bitcoin was a natural and obvious choice for the app given the fact that either the above-mentioned messaging service or the most discussed cryptocurrency excel in security and anonymity.
From the point of view of Mr. Carrelli, Wiper and all the apps similar to it represent “a simple, intuitive way to introduce better financial tools.” The CEO also mentioned that it was obvious that remittances are a bitcoin use case.
Well, only time will show either the app’s future at the Chinese market or the Chinese government’s attitude towards the cryptocurrency. If the policy is going to become stricter, global changes in the cyrptocurrency world are inevitable.
Eugenia graduated from Minsk State Linguistic University with a degree in Intercultural Communication, Translation/Interpretation (Italian, English). Currently she works as a business analyst, freelance interpreter and tutor. She’s fond of numismatics, photos, good books and sports, adores travelling and cooking.