Coinbase has disabled NFT transfers on its iOS app. You cannot buy or sell NFTs using the Coinbase iOS app, but you can still use it to manage your account and perform other tasks.
The reason for this move is still being determined, but there are reports from people who have contacted support on Twitter that their transactions were not going through as expected.
Crypto exchange Coinbase has disabled the ability to transfer non-fungible tokens (NFTs) through its iOS app but has not clarified why it's decided to do so.
The exchange's previous policy of allowing NFT transfers was introduced in January 2019, when the company announced that users could now deposit or withdraw digital assets from their wallet and sell them on any platform that supports ERC20-based tokens. They also said they would add support for different types of wallets over time—including Ledger hardware wallets—and enable faster withdrawals from each one via SMS text message code delivery system or QR codes sent by email.
However, this week Coinbase disabled all NFT transfers on their mobile application after Apple removed support for XRP (the native currency token used by Ripple) due to concerns about potential market manipulation due to price volatility-related issues found during testing conducted between December 1st 2018, through January 15th, 2019
You can still buy and sell NFTs on #Coinbase, with Android users having the same functionality they always had.
You can still buy and sell NFTs on #Coinbase, with Android users having the same functionality they always had.
iOS users can no longer transfer their NFTs from the app. Still, the company said it would continue to support buying and selling digital currencies on iOS devices through its desktop counterpart.
The only change is that iOS users can no longer transfer their NFTs from the app — they will have to use the web or Android interface for this feature.
Android users can still do so with no issues, but it's worth noting that Coinbase has been limiting its functionality on iOS devices in recent months as well.
There is some reason for this, but it's unclear what that is.
The reason for the change needs to be clarified. It could be a security issue; it could be a technical issue, it could be a legal issue, or even just plain old business decisions.
The Coinbase team responded to our request for comment:
"We are changing the app's functionality so that you can no longer transfer NFTs from your iOS wallet to another user's device."
Conclusion
There seems to be some reason for this, but it's unclear what that is. Apple may have changed its policy regarding NFTs, and Coinbase doesn't want to be on the wrong side of this issue. But if there were any other reasons than this, Coinbase would have publicized it before now so that customers can make informed decisions about whether or not they want to use their iOS app.
