In the fall of 2017, Viktor Radchenko, a Ukrainian immigrant living in the United States, faced a simple but frustrating problem. He’d bought tokens during the ICO boom, but storing them securely on his phone felt clunky and risky. Existing wallets were limited, often centralized, and didn’t prioritize user control. Drawing from his background in cybersecurity and app development—he’d previously co-founded a logistics startup and worked on secure communication platforms—Radchenko decided to build his own solution. In just a few weeks, he coded Trust Wallet from scratch: a non-custodial mobile wallet focused on Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens. Launched first on iOS in November 2017, it emphasized decentralization—no KYC, no server-held private keys, just pure self-sovereignty. Users loved the “automagic” token discovery, where balances appeared without manual adds. Within months, monthly active users topped 20,000, all organic growth from word-of-mouth in crypto forums.
Early success was bootstrapped and lean. Radchenko handled everything solo at first, prioritizing security and anonymity. By 2018, as Ethereum’s ecosystem exploded, he expanded the team. An Android version arrived, crafted by new hires, and support grew to include more tokens. User numbers surged past 100,000. But scaling a wallet isn’t cheap—servers, audits, marketing all add up without a clear revenue model. Radchenko considered an ICO but scrapped it. Instead, in July 2018, Binance, the world’s fastest-growing exchange, acquired Trust Wallet in its first-ever deal. The terms mixed cash, stock, and BNB tokens. Changpeng Zhao (CZ) saw the perfect fit: a secure on-chain wallet to complement Binance’s ecosystem. Trust retained independence, with Binance handling admin burdens, letting the team focus on product.
Post-acquisition, growth accelerated. Trust became Binance’s official wallet recommendation, integrating swaps, staking, and NFT support. By 2020, it supported dozens of blockchains, millions of assets, and a built-in DApp browser for seamless Web3 access—like connecting to PancakeSwap or Uniswap directly. Android users thrived with full features. But on iOS, storm clouds gathered.
Apple’s App Store guidelines have long clashed with crypto’s open ethos. In 2019, Apple began cracking down on apps enabling third-party payments, in-app crypto purchases, or “external” code execution—exactly what DApp browsers do. Trust’s iOS version initially kept the browser, but with restrictions. Users discovered a workaround: typing “trust://browser_enable” in Safari to unlock it manually. Tutorials spread, helping iPhone owners access DeFi despite the hurdles. Yet pressure mounted. In May 2020, Trust announced partial removal of the DApp browser on iOS to comply and avoid delisting. By June 2021, version 6.0 stripped it entirely—no re-enabling possible. The team had negotiated with Apple for over a year, but guidelines were firm: no injecting external code or facilitating unregulated transactions.
iOS users felt the pain hardest. DeFi boomed in 2021, with yields on farms and swaps drawing crowds, but iPhone holders needed clunky alternatives: WalletConnect via Safari (scan QR codes for approvals) or external browsers. Complaints flooded forums—connections dropped, networks couldn’t switch easily, and scams exploited the gaps. Android sailed smooth, highlighting Apple’s gatekeeping. Trust assured funds were safe—blockchain-stored, not app-dependent—but convenience suffered.
Worse came in March 2022. Apple abruptly removed Trust Wallet from the App Store entirely, citing third-party exchange integrations violating payment rules. New downloads halted; existing users kept access, but updates risked issues. Panic spread briefly, but decentralization prevailed—recovery phrases meant assets were portable. The team worked frantically, complying further, and the app returned weeks later. It wasn’t the first crypto eviction (Atomic Wallet faced similar), nor the last. Founder Radchenko, still CEO then, navigated these storms, but in March 2022, he stepped down to focus on family after five intense years. Eowyn Chen took over, pushing innovations like browser extensions.
By December 2025, Trust Wallet stands resilient, trusted by over 200 million users. It’s multi-chain royalty: 100+ networks, 10 million+ assets, staking rewards, NFT galleries, and stablecoin earning programs. The iOS app thrives again on the Store, with regular updates adding features like real-time rewards on USDT or USDC. DApp access? Still Android-native for the full browser, but iOS shines with WalletConnect improvements—faster connections, better UX for DeFi and games. Security incidents, like a 2024 iMessage zero-day warning, reminded users to stay vigilant, but no major breaches hit core funds.
Trust’s odyssey mirrors crypto’s maturation: from a solo dev’s ICO fix to a Binance-backed powerhouse battling centralized gatekeepers. Apple’s policies forced compromises, delaying iOS parity and frustrating Web3 dreams, but they also honed resilience. Workarounds evolved into robust tools, proving self-custody’s strength. Today, whether swapping on iPhone or browsing DApps on Android, Trust empowers everyday users to own their crypto future—one secure, private transaction at a time. In a world of walled gardens, it remains a beacon of open access.