Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, now heading the Bitcoin-focused financial services firm Block, has publicly questioned Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, regarding the absence of Bitcoin support in Apple Pay, the tech giant’s mobile payment service. This inquiry comes as Damus, a Bitcoin-friendly social media app, faces potential removal from the App Store for allegedly violating Apple’s terms of service. The dispute raises concerns about Apple’s dominant control over consumer applications and underscores the cryptocurrency community’s drive for a decentralized and censorship-resistant financial system.

Dorsey directed his tweet at Tim Cook on Tuesday, citing Damus’ tweet that suggested Apple Pay as a solution to the app’s violations. With over 500 million users, incorporating Bitcoin into Apple Pay would significantly accelerate the mass adoption of the cryptocurrency. Bitcoin integration would open new avenues for users to engage with digital payments, marking a crucial milestone in the broader acceptance of cryptocurrencies.

Damus operates as a decentralized social media platform, leveraging the Nostr protocol, which has gained popularity among Bitcoin enthusiasts due to its support for Lightning Network-based payments. The app’s release earlier this year was met with threats of delisting on June 13th by Apple, as Damus permitted users to send bitcoin “zaps” over the Lightning Network to tip content creators, similar to Twitter’s tipping feature. The Lightning Network represents Bitcoin’s secondary layer payment network, enabling faster and more cost-effective transactions.

Apple cited Damus’ violation of the App Store Review Guidelines, specifically 3.1.1 and 3.2.1 (vii), related to the sale of digital content. Damus founder William Casarin engaged in discussions with Apple, proposing compromises such as removing zap functionality from note sections while retaining it on user profiles. Despite Casarin’s efforts to address Apple’s concerns, the company remained unsatisfied and rejected Damus’ resubmitted version.

Jack Dorsey publicly criticized Apple’s decision, arguing that tips on Damus did not unlock content and warning that Apple’s actions could hinder Bitcoin adoption and impede the development of a global payment protocol for the Internet. Dorsey, who now leads the Bitcoin-focused financial services company Block, has been an active supporter of Bitcoin’s development, making substantial donations towards the protocol.

The looming removal of Damus raises questions about whether Apple’s actions stem from a misunderstanding or a broader crackdown on Bitcoin-focused apps. The opaque nature of Apple’s approval process has been subject to criticism, as developers claim that the feedback provided lacks specificity regarding guideline violations. This ambiguity poses a risk to various Bitcoin apps and hampers innovation within the cryptocurrency ecosystem.