- Apple approved SaruTobi, its first iOS game using Bitcoin Lightning for in-game microtransactions.
- The move follows EU regulations and the Epic v. Apple ruling allowing third-party crypto payments.
- SaruTobi uses Lightning for payouts without storing Bitcoin in the app, aligning with current App Store policies.
For the first time, Apple has approved a game for its App Store that includes in-app Bitcoin Lightning payments. The game, SaruTobi, which first launched in 2013, has now re-entered the App Store with support from the Lightning infrastructure provider ZBD. This marks a major step for crypto adoption on iOS devices, allowing users to make real-money Bitcoin microtransactions directly within a game.
Players can earn satoshis—the smallest unit of Bitcoin—while playing or spend them for in-game features like retries and power-ups. All transactions use the Lightning Network, enabling low-cost, instant payments. Apple approved the feature under its existing App Store policies by allowing the app to use an external payments provider for crypto, a method permitted following recent legal and regulatory shifts.
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Why Apple Approved This Now
Apple has historically blocked apps from offering crypto microtransactions. However, decisions like Epic Games v. Apple and the European Union’s Digital Markets Act have forced the company to allow alternatives to its in-app purchase system.
ZBD CTO André Neves called the approval a turning point, describing it as a signal that digital payment models on iOS are beginning to shift.
Apple Faces Pressure To Adapt In-App Payment Policy
Apple’s decision to approve Bitcoin Lightning payments follows rising global pressure on its closed ecosystem. The company is now complying with new EU regulations that demand broader payment system flexibility for app developers. These changes have also forced Apple to relax its control over how in-app transactions are processed.
While SaruTobi currently stands as the only approved game with this feature, the development suggests further apps may follow. Apple’s acceptance does not allow full Bitcoin wallets or decentralized apps, but it now enables limited crypto functions embedded inside conventional games.
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The update shows that developers can now work within the current legal boundaries to add Bitcoin-related functions for Apple users. SaruTobi uses the Lightning Network for both its payouts and its transactions, without holding any user funds inside the app itself.
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