Google declares war on non-custodial wallets

[rdluffy]

This is unprecedented nonsense, seriously, I don't even know how to describe this situation. What a boring world we live in. This only reinforces the point that we need to flip the switch, defend our freedom and privacy, and never give in.

Luckily, we have alternatives like Fdroid. Those celebrating this news are the wallet fraudsters who will invest heavily in phishing campaigns, causing many people to get robbed.

Thank you, daddy state, for creating yet another problem. My tax dollars are being well spent...

...

Imagine this happening in a certain Latin American country where we have a crazy president and a court minister with serious popularity problems who thinks he's a dictator:

"Only regulated wallet apps and accredited by Anatel, requiring CPF registration, can be downloaded by users".

I believe that now more than ever, we need to learn more about crypto, security, and privacy
Fortunately, we have good tools to protect ourselves from most of the things that governments can do against us

The situation you mentioned in Brazil is an example where things are changing rapidly and censorship, confiscation, and blocking of money and assets seem entirely possible and realistic.
If we give up self-custody, privacy, anonymity, and security, it could cost us dearly

Google is a company that will always lean toward regulation and the government; after all, their business is to make money

[dkbit98]

Very concerning news - Google Play is going to ban non-custodial wallet apps for US and EU users, on December 2025. That's in just four months.

I recently wrote that people should prepare migrating from g00gle play store to other open source alternatives (Fdroid, Obtainium, Droid-ify, etc).
They are not going to stop attacking everyone because they are all working towards agenda 2030 and elimination of privacy
My predictions is that in future they will only allow us to use gov-approved bitcoin wallets.

[NotATether]

It seems that we have no reason to panic, for now, as Google themselves have clarified that non-custodial wallets are not included in their policy.

https://x.com/tuxpizza/status/1955746471904731546

I still don't trust them, but make of that what you will.

Consider this a fire drill.

[Emjay24]

While removing these from their stores might look like a big problem which I don't see as one because all those are centralized platforms and that's the reason they are feeling too powerful and we can still download from official websites, there is a bigger problem. What if Microsoft wakes up tomorrow and decides to withdraw compatibility of these decentralized wallets on their OS, apple follows suit and other OS providers? and let's not forget that android is owned by google which has declared war on it already, then we might see a true end to using decentralized wallets.

I think it is time we start thinking decentralization all round, then we may not have to worry about the bullying of these providers. Something like:

• A decentralized Store
• A decentralized OS

Surely this is possible, if Google and its likes can come out with centralized Stores and OS, then a decentralized copy is possible. Another major advantage is that it would eliminate all fake copy of wallets and apps that flies all over Playstore since all software that would be uploaded there would be verified, and must be open source.

[TryNinja]

It would be damaging or more like inconvenient but I don't think it would be game over since all of these popular wallets have a website where they self-host their binaries and also there is github where they share the source code and some of the also publish the binaries there as a mirror.

If this happens with iOS, we iPhone users are cooked. At least with Google (android) you can install a self compiled or trusted (verifiable) APK. But for iOS, you literally can't install an app unless you buy yourself a developer accounts ($100 per year) to sign your own app and sideload it. It's also a lot harder to do that.

I think this might happen sooner or later, even if they backed down for now.

[Forsyth Jones]

It seems that we have no reason to panic, for now, as Google themselves have clarified that non-custodial wallets are not included in their policy.

https://x.com/tuxpizza/status/1955746471904731546

I still don't trust them, but make of that what you will.

Consider this a fire drill.

Wait, first they announce a ban on non-custodial wallet apps for US and EU users, without detailing what custodial and non-custodial wallet even means, and now they come out with a new tweet clarifying that non-custodial (self-custodial) wallets are excluded from the new regulatory rules?

Is there a serious communication problem with google, or was this proof that they backed down due to user pressure? Either way, we can't back down, we must remain vigilant and always strongly criticize companies that kneel to government organizations that want to destroy privacy and freedom of choice.

For me, this was proof that they backed down! Because if that were really the case, google would have clarified that non-custodial wallets would be excluded from this regulation from the beginning, don't you agree?

Don't trust Google and big techs, they're not on our side!

[ABCbits]

What if Microsoft wakes up tomorrow and decides to withdraw compatibility of these decentralized wallets on their OS, apple follows suit and other OS providers? and let's not forget that android is owned by google which has declared war on it already, then we might see a true end to using decentralized wallets.

By doing that. they would also break compatibility of many other software that share same dependency. Although they could use list of file hash or name to block non-custodial wallet from running on their OS.

• A decentralized OS

What does decentralized means in this case?

[goldkingcoiner]

Alternate app stores are required immediately.

I agree.

If anything, Google is shooting itself in the foot with this and endangering users by making them download the app from an unvetted platform or website, where they could easily fall for a virus/scam/malware/whatever. Google has been fucking up ever since they employed Pichai as CEO. Since then the have been screwing over users and doing everything they can to maximize profits. Same with Youtube's CEO, Mohan.

[virasog]

If this is true, thry are only deceiving themselves for people that truly wants privacy and not those that just use what they see. The noncustodial wallets are existing without Google. Example is Electrum wallet that you can download on Electrum official website, while some other noncustodial wallets can be downloaded directly on their official websites and on GitHub. We do not need Google to use the apps.

I agree with you but not everyone will install the APK files and many will just not use the non-custodial wallets because they aren't available on the google playstore.

Soon we will find that the Apple App Store will be doing the same, and you will not even see these apps on the Microsoft Store either. This is not a coincidence but a proper plan being laid out globally to control the crypto space, and everyone should hold the crypto with proper KYC, and the thing decentralize, that they are doing to ban indeed. They (the governments and those evil powers behind them who are even controlling the governments) want everything to be tracked and taxed.

[mindrust]

If they can do this, before you know it, they will be banning websites of non-custodial wallet software. Electrum and bitcoin core will be the first ones to go down. They’ll do what they did to xmr, btc mixers, non-kyc exchanges and casinos. Either we take a stand now and tell them to go fuck themselves or we’ll suck it up and become slaves. Recently google crippled adblocking software on chrome too. I say fuck google and start using alternatives whenever you can. Start with using firefox or something else that has nothing to do with google. It is either them or us. Clearly they want war. Let’s hit them where it hurts.

[Charles-Tim]

If this happens with iOS, we iPhone users are cooked. At least with Google (android) you can install a self compiled or trusted (verifiable) APK. But for iOS, you literally can't install an app unless you buy yourself a developer accounts ($100 per year) to sign your own app and sideload it. It's also a lot harder to do that.

I think this might happen sooner or later, even if they backed down for now.

This is one of the reasons I can never use Apple devices. I know if I use it, it is like I am in a prison. People do not know their right because if they know, they will stay away from Apple devices. Google is not the best, but at least it is better. With all the iPhone strictness, fake wallets are found on App store recently. If people are wise, iPhone supposed not to sell at all. So I will say iPhone users are not cooked if they know what is going on, they can switch to alternatives.

[TryNinja]

If this happens with iOS, we iPhone users are cooked. At least with Google (android) you can install a self compiled or trusted (verifiable) APK. But for iOS, you literally can't install an app unless you buy yourself a developer accounts ($100 per year) to sign your own app and sideload it. It's also a lot harder to do that.

I think this might happen sooner or later, even if they backed down for now.

This is one of the reasons I can never use Apple devices. I know if I use it, it is like I am in a prison. People do not know their right because if they know, they will stay away from Apple devices. Google is not the best, but at least it is better. With all the iPhone strictness, fake wallets are found on App store recently. If people are wise, iPhone supposed not to sell at all. So I will say iPhone users are not cooked if they know what is going on, they can switch to alternatives.

To be honest, right now there aren't many limitations on the Apple Store. It's also a lot easier to put fake apps on the Play Store than on Apple's app store. I have published apps on both stores and while google only asks for basic information, has fast approvals, and even faster updates (pretty much instant), Apple reviews every single app and update, and even big companies have apps rejected because of small issues that need fixing.

I write all of that admiting that I am an Apple user, and have lots of products from them (iPhone, Apple Watch, Airpods, Macbook). Their hardware is just best.

[tech30338]

Very concerning news - Google Play is going to ban non-custodial wallet apps for US and EU users, on December 2025. That's in just four months.

This seems to be part of the broader trend of companies and government attacking privacy.

Alternate app stores are required immediately.

I think they already clarified this announcement, they will ban or remove the platform on googleplay if they will not comply to the policy of the region or country they are serving meaning they will need to registered like to local exchange of a country this is to be able to avoid risk, non custodial wallets are not included, and will not be remove to the googleplay, developers can still update.

[Charles-Tim]

To be honest, right now there aren't many limitations on the Apple Store. It's also a lot easier to put fake apps on the Play Store than on Apple's app store.

That is true. The fake wallets were on Playstore before but since like 3 years now, the fake app developers were tired and they started using App store. The recent ones reported were on App stores and probably more might come. But another recent one were extensions.

I write all of that admiting that I am an Apple user, and have lots of products from them (iPhone, Apple Watch, Airpods, Macbook). Their hardware is just best.

I guess you are from United States. I noticed people from United States just have one kind of preference for Apple products. Although, people that are using 2 or 3 Apple products will want to continue using their products.

Vivo X200 and the lastest Xiaomi competed with iPhone camera. Many people online even rated them better than Apple. I like Samsung because it is available in my country cheaper. Do not mind my off-topic post.

Apple has not produced any foldable phone and their AI is significantly lagging behind. Sorry for my off-topic again.

But most importantly, I can not use a device that will not allow me to download apps through a browser because I know I am giving out my freedom.

[Donneski]

Very concerning news - Google Play is going to ban non-custodial wallet apps for US and EU users, on December 2025. That's in just four months.

This seems to be part of the broader trend of companies and government attacking privacy.

Alternate app stores are required immediately.

Google banning unlicensed wallets won’t kill self-custody if you ask me, Google is definitely deceiving themselves if they thinking so. It only shows how many people rely on app stores instead of learning the basics when it comes to downloading these wallets.

For instance, Electrum, BlueWallet, Wasabi can all be downloaded directly from the developers’ sites or from GitHub. Bitcoin since it's launch has always been bigger than corporations. If there's any real problem about this development, I think it is education. Like people need to know they don’t need Google’s permission to hold their own keys and this new development I believe will force more education among Bitcoiners that are ignorant to the these necessary basics.

[Pmalek]

This will enable phishing campaigns on an unprecedented scale.

Many people will lose their funds because they do not know where to download wallet APKs and verify PGP signatures.

People get tricked into downloading and entering their seeds in fake phishing wallets they see on services like the Play Store or the App Store all the time. It helps only to some degree. If they want to be in bitcoin and crypto, they will have to learn how to protect themselves or face the consequences of their actions.

While removing these from their stores might look like a big problem which I don't see as one because all those are centralized platforms and that's the reason they are feeling too powerful and we can still download from official websites, there is a bigger problem.

That depends. If you are using Android, you will most likely have alternatives to get the apps you need. But if you have an iPhone, you pretty much stuck with the App Store. YOu can always jailbreak your iPhone, though.

[apogio]

I appreciate everyones concern and, to be honest, it sounds bad, but seriously... calm down! It's not going to be the end of the world, even if they do it.

Allow me to elaborate:

The huge majority of people, don't do self-custody anyways, they either buy and keep in CEXs or they buy ETFs. So, this leaves a minority (the rest of us) who seriously care about bitcoin's true intention and do self-custody. But, we 're not like the rest of the world, we will find our workaround.

Yes, NotATether is right, that some people will not know where to download APKs and GPG keys. But are they really this many? Because, unfortunately, I think it's just a few people.

Disclaimer: I don't use mobile apps as wallet software, only PC, but I can feel your frustration.

[Charles-Tim]

I appreciate everyones concern and, to be honest, it sounds bad, but seriously... calm down! It's not going to be the end of the world, even if they do it.

Allow me to elaborate:

The huge majority of people, don't do self-custody anyways, they either buy and keep in CEXs or they buy ETFs. So, this leaves a minority (the rest of us) who seriously care about bitcoin's true intention and do self-custody. But, we 're not like the rest of the world, we will find our workaround.

Yes, NotATether is right, that some people will not know where to download APKs and GPG keys. But are they really this many? Because, unfortunately, I think it's just a few people.

Check what NotATether posted last about it, that the policy will not affect noncustodial wallets.

https://x.com/tuxpizza/status/1955746471904731546

Disclaimer: I don't use mobile apps as wallet software, only PC, but I can feel your frustration.

What frustration? The APK are available on the wallets official sites and also available on GitHub.

[apogio]

Check what NotATether posted last about it, that the policy will not affect noncustodial wallets.
https://x.com/tuxpizza/status/1955746471904731546

Thanks but Twitter is notoriously bad for extracting good information from it. I mean, a twitter post is not official and, in my eyes, shouldn't be taken for granted. I am sure that even with this tweet above, you are not very certain they won't declare war on self-custody wallets, are you? Perhaps it's just me who is suspicious, so...

What frustration? The APK are available on the wallets official sites and also available on GitHub.

The frustration isn't about what we will do. I meant frustration (anxiety) about what will happen to users who don't have the technical skills to understand how to install an APK and verify it properly.

[Synchronice]

Very concerning news - Google Play is going to ban non-custodial wallet apps for US and EU users, on December 2025. That's in just four months.

This seems to be part of the broader trend of companies and government attacking privacy.

Alternate app stores are required immediately.

To be honest, I've never downloaded a crypto wallet from play store because I don't trust it, it's so full of scam services that I prefer to manually visit official websites of wallets like electrum.org and download APK from their website or visit the official Play Store link from there.
Android is an open-source. The good thing about this is that we can download APK files and install them anyway.

This will enable phishing campaigns on an unprecedented scale.

Many people will lose their funds because they do not know where to download wallet APKs and verify PGP signatures.

These many people have to learn something. I don't really understand how people do not check sources multiple times. When I download something or when I send coins from my wallet to another, I triple check everything and before I do something, I try to learn everything from head to toe. I'll never understand those who aren't this much interested into what they do and do things blindly. I'll never understand those people who click on the first search engine result instead of checking other results too to make a proper decision.