Why Apple banned MT4

On September 23^rd 2022, tech giant Apple announced that the MT4 and MT5 products had been banned from the App Store. Until then, the MT4 and MT5 trading platforms (short for MetaTrader) had been available through the iPhone App Store since 2015. As far as the trading industry was concerned, this was big news.

What is MetaTrader?

Quite simply, MetaTrader is the most popular trading platform in the world. MetaTrader4 (MT4) was developed by MetaQuotes in 2005 and swept aside all competition that preceded it. But even more surprisingly, it continued to sweep away any competition that followed.

Even today, 2024, it remains the most used platform globally, rivalled only by its cousin MetaTrader5 (MT5). Almost every major broker in the world offers MT4 and/or MT5-based trading, with most other options only serving as alternatives.

Aside from being an extremely secure platform possessing vast amounts of trading tools, indicators, and execution options, MetaTrader uses its own language (MQL4 & MQL5), which enables developers to create custom indicators and expert advisors. The ability for algorithmic trading is yet another contributor to the platform’s popularity.

Why did Apple take the decision?

The official reason given at the time was that these MetaQuotes products did not comply with the App Store’s guidelines. No further official explanation was offered. Rumours circulated that the reason behind the decision was in some way linked MetaQuotes’ CEO’s (Renat Fatkhullin) Russian ties and the widespread sanctions they faced. However, most analysts agreed the application had likely been flagged for too many negative user reviews, creating the need for Apple to act. The negative reviewers can be separated into three categories:

Traders under genuine brokers

Due to the nature of trading and its innate financial risk, encountering dissatisfied users in the industry is unavoidable, even with the most ethical and honest brokers. In short, even fair trading can generate unfair criticism. The number of dissatisfied Apple customers falling under this category would have been no different proportionally than for any other trading platform application.

Tech issues and random grievances

From installation issues to freezing apps, these are the unavoidable issues all tech providers face. In this case, they would have constituted the vast minority of complaints and, again, would have been no different proportionally than for any other trading platform application (in fact probably less so since MT4 made its name through the stability of its technology).

Scam victims

At the time, obtaining MT4 or MT5 and offering ‘broker services’ was all too easy. Whether a regulated broker, an unregulated broker, or worse, not a broker at all, very few obstacles stood in the way of becoming a MetaTrader provider. Fraudulent services have always been prevalent in financial sectors.

However, MetaQuotes is a genuine pioneer in the forex industry, and Apple is a genuine pioneer in the tech industry, and their combination made this a very high-profile issue. The sheer volume of mutual customers meant the scope for fraud was boundless. It was an image both would have ideally wanted to rectify, but Apple had the greater incentive to do so and therefore took the initiative.

How severely did the ban affect MetaQuotes’ business?

MetaTrader accounts for 83% of all online trading transactions. 50% of these are placed through the mobile trading app and close to 30% of mobile users worldwide own an iPhone. These numbers indicate that the ban was bound to be costly for MetaQuotes. However, thankfully for them, the blow was neither fatal nor irreversible. This was down to several saving graces:

Existing customers could still use the MT4

The fact that existing applications did not lose their functionality was a vital lifeline since it meant MetaQuotes did not have a vast chunk of their business erased overnight. Rather, they could not convert new iPhone users and had to depend on retaining the existing ones until a solution was found.

Apple remained open to finding a solution for MT4

The App Store ban was not decisive. Apple would be open to re-admitting MetaTrader, pending a review that sought adjustments in MetaQuotes’ policy and terms of service.

The ban did not extend to Apple computers

Although MT4 and MT5 were no longer available to download on iPhones and iPads, they were still available for MacBooks, iMacs and Mac Pros. In short, Apple desktop and laptop trading remained unaffected.

Android did not follow suit for MT4

Losing the ability to convert new customers in the iPhone market was a huge blow but not as devastating as it would have been had the Android market been lost. Due to the vast number of companies falling under the umbrella, Android accounts for roughly 70% of mobile phone users worldwide. Fortunately for MetaQuotes, the Play Store did not mimic the actions of their rivals.

MetaQuotes improved their web trader

Partially offsetting the loss of the App Store were the strides made in the functionality of the MT5 mobile web trader. In other words, whilst iPhone users could no longer use MetaTrader as an app, they could just as easily open a browser window and operate the terminal there.

Response from the industry

Naturally, direct competitors to MetaQuotes knew there was an opportunity to seize a larger share of the iPhone market. The length of this window of opportunity was uncertain since most assumed MetaTrader would return sooner or later, however the opportunity existed, nonetheless.

Many rushed to emphasise their security and anti-fraud screening procedures. Aris Christophorou, CEO of cTrader maintained “Spotware is known in the industry for fighting malicious brokers, refusing service to multiple bucket shop brokers and brokers accepting US clients.” The race mostly depended on which platform could offer brokers the fastest and smoothest migration process.

In addition to searching for alternative tech providers, brokers also focused on developing or improving their in-house trading apps catering to iOS users.

MT4 & MT5 returned to the iPhone App Store

MetaTrader improved the screening process and KYC required to obtain MT4 and MT5 provider licenses. This made it much harder for scam operations to use MetaTrader’s popular services to defraud unsuspecting individuals. The platform is now only offered to licensed brokers. Following a nearly 6-month suspension, on the 6^th of March 2023, Apple announced MetaTrader’s return to the App Store.

“We are happy that the situation has been resolved and we managed to find an understanding with Apple.” These were the words of MetaQuotes CEO, Renat Fatkhullin, who further commented. “Our company respects the requirements of any marketplace and always strives to meet them. We feel responsible to our users and therefore we did our best to provide clarifications on the issues raised from Apple in a timely manner. I also want to thank the traders, brokers and media, who actively showed their support.”

Trade on MT4 with IronFX

As a long-standing multi-licensed broker, IronFX has never ceased to be eligible to provide MT4 services through PC and Mac. Trading on MT4 with IronFX provides users with access to all technical and graphical indicators, notwithstanding the popular automated trading features.Forex, Shares, Indices and Commodities CFDs are all available with competitive spreads and excellent execution times.

Disclaimer:
This information is not considered investment advice or an investment recommendation, but instead a marketing communication. IronFX is not responsible for any data or information provided by third parties referenced or hyperlinked in this communication.