Key Highlights
- In the latest guideline, Google Play imposes strict rules for cryptocurrency exchanges and software wallets
- Developers must now prove compliance with local laws, with Germany’s MiCA deadline looming in 2025
- Smaller crypto wallet makers face an uphill battle as Google’s policy favors big, licensed players
Google Play has rolled out stringent guidelines for cryptocurrency exchanges and software wallets, which mandate strict compliance with regional laws.
According to the latest updated policy, Google wants to enhance user safety and requires developers to secure necessary licenses before distributing their apps in regulated markets.
In the strict measures, if developers fail to meet these standards, this could result in removal from the platform.
The updated policy specifies that crypto-related apps must declare their financial features during submission. Additionally, Developers targeting regions with strict regulations, such as the EU, Canada, or Japan, must complete location-specific compliance forms.
In Germany, for instance, apps operating without a MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) license by December 31, 2025, will no longer be permitted. Existing national licenses will expire on that date, which will force developers to transition to the new EU-wide framework.
This guideline comes after broader global efforts to regulate the cryptocurrency sector. Authorities worldwide are tightening oversight, with the EU leading the charge under MiCA, while the U.S. and Asia implement their own compliance measures.
Smaller developers, particularly those offering non-custodial wallets, may face challenges adapting to these requirements.
Google Play’s support team remains available for policy-related inquiries on weekdays, but the burden of compliance ultimately falls on developers.
With the regulatory landscape evolving rapidly, app publishers must act swiftly to avoid disruptions. The message is clear: adapt or risk exclusion from one of the world’s largest app marketplaces.
Google’s Cautious Dance with Cryptocurrency
Google’s approach to cryptocurrency has long reflected a careful balancing act as it is embracing blockchain innovation while maintaining strict guardrails against risk.
The tech giant’s latest Google Play policies, which impose rigorous licensing requirements on crypto apps, are just one piece of its strategy shaped by regulatory scrutiny and past missteps.
The company’s relationship with crypto spans multiple fronts. In the advertising sector, Google has oscillated between restriction and cautious openness. After banning all crypto ads in 2018 to curb fraudulent ICOs, it slowly reopened to regulated players.
Today, only licensed exchanges and wallets, such as those registered with FinCEN, can run ads in approved markets. Yet DeFi protocols, meme coins, and trading signals remain blacklisted, and even compliant firms face a grueling approval process. Industry insiders frequently voice frustration on social media, citing abrupt rejections over minor technicalities.
Behind the scenes, Google Cloud has quietly become a backbone for blockchain infrastructure. It hosts nodes for major networks like Ethereum and Solana and partners with projects like Chainlink to power data oracles.
Unlike Amazon Web Services, however, Google avoids deeper crypto integration, steering clear of trading or custody services. Its strategy focuses on enterprise solutions—think supply chain tracking or secure data storage—rather than speculative crypto ventures.
Search and content moderation further reveal Google’s tight grip. Crypto-related queries often prioritize established exchanges and mainstream media over independent projects.
Critics allege shadow-banning of smaller players, though Google denies formal de-ranking policies. On YouTube, anti-scam measures aggressively remove videos promoting “get-rich-quick” schemes, sometimes ensnaring legitimate creators in the process.
For the crypto industry, Google’s policies present both hurdles and paradoxes. Compliance costs—ranging from $20,000 to $200,000 annually for licenses and legal reviews—disproportionately burden startups, entrenching giants like Coinbase and Kraken.
Google Tightens Rules on Crypto While the World Finally Embraces It
The latest guideline with strict rules comes as countries like the U.S. open their mainstream markets to the cryptocurrency sector. Recently, President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act, approving the first crypto legislation to date, with two other bills in the pipeline.
Under Trump’s pro-crypto administration, the cryptocurrency community expects a favorable regulatory framework. U.S. government officials have repeatedly emphasized their goal of making America a crypto hub and bringing back offshore innovation that shifted abroad under previous hostile administrations.