Mobile handset maker Huawei Technologies Co. will soon offer access to Bitcoin wallets through its AppGallery, according to a report from Bloomberg. The move will reportedly allow users to download the BTC.com Bitcoin wallet on all new Huawei phones, and the company plans to roll out access to older phones in the near future.
Chinese cryptocurrency enthusiasts are likely to be among the first beneficiaries, as Huawei occupies a dominant position in that country’s mobile phone market. Many Chinese Bitcoin fans have also struggled in recent months to gain access to Bitcoin wallets, since the government prevents them from accessing those apps through Google’s Play Store or iTunes.
As Bloomberg notes, digital currencies have not yet been outlawed in China, despite the government’s efforts to dampen enthusiasm. Within the last year alone, China has banned initial coin offerings and implemented regulations designed to drive cryptocurrency exchanges from the country. Earlier this year, the government even asked local authorities to begin to shut down the country’s Bitcoin mining, directing them to implement an “orderly exit” from that industry.
BTC.com vice president of business operations Alejandro de la Torre told Bloomberg:
“It’s a good opportunity to tap into the Chinese market. The use of cashless payments with apps is very big and the traditional banking system is lacking, so there’s a good use case for crypto payments to grow there.”
