Google U-Turn on Plan to Remove Non-Custodial Crypto Wallets from Play Store Following Backlash

Key Points

1. Google initially announced new licensing requirements that would ban non-custodial wallets without FinCEN registration, state banking licenses, or MiCA compliance, sparking criticism from the crypto community.

2. Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and others criticized the policy, prompting Google to clarify that non-custodial wallets are not subject to the restrictions.

3. Despite the clarification, some developers, like MannaBitcoin's founder, reported issues such as removal from search results and loss of reviews.

4. Google has a history of contentious decisions regarding crypto, including banning mining apps in 2019 and removing crypto news apps without clear explanations.

5. Google Cloud has also engaged in partnerships with crypto-related entities, such as Coinbase and Web3 development platforms, indicating a mixed approach to blockchain technology.