Coinbase’s self-custody crypto wallet said users can no longer send non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, due to interference from Apple.
In a December 1 Twitter thread, Coinbase Wallet said that the tech company with a market cap of more than $2 trillion had locked down the latest version of its app in an effort to “collect 30% of the gas fee” through in-app purchases. The platform claimed that Apple wanted the Coinbase Wallet to disable NFT transactions, introducing “new policies to protect their profits at the expense of consumer investment in NFTs and developer innovation across the crypto ecosystem.”
“For anyone who understands how NFTs and blockchains work, this is clearly not possible”said Coinbase Wallet. “Apple’s proprietary In-App Purchase system doesn’t support cryptocurrency, so we couldn’t meet it even if we tried. This is akin to Apple trying to take a cut of fees for every email sent over open protocols from Internet”.
You might have noticed you can’t send NFTs on Coinbase Wallet iOS anymore. This is because Apple blocked our last app release until we disabled the feature.
— Coinbase Wallet (@CoinbaseWallet) December 1, 2022
You may have noticed that you can no longer send NFTs in Coinbase Wallet iOS. This is because Apple blocked our latest app release until we disabled the feature.
The wallet app said that users affected by the decision — meaning those with iPhones — would have a “much more difficult time transferring those NFTs to other wallets.” Coinbase added that the block may have been an oversight, asking Apple to contact the firm about any issues.
Coinbase first announced that it would add NFT support to its self-custody wallet in December 2021, giving users in-app access to marketplaces like OpenSea. On November 29, the app said it would discontinue support for Bitcoin Cash (BCH), XRP (XRP), Ethereum Classic (ETC), and Stellar Lumen (XLM), citing low usage.
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