Rejected under Guideline 4.2 - a native crypto wallet + Web3 browser flagged as "just a web browser." Looking for guidance.
I'd appreciate the community's and Apple engineers' read on a 4.2 (Minimum Functionality) rejection, because I believe the guideline was misapplied and I want to resolve it correctly.
WHAT THE APP IS
Everything Black is a native iOS app (SwiftUI, iOS 18+) built to platform Black-owned businesses, history, culture, and content, and to preserve it in one place. There is nothing else like it on the App Store. It combines a community hub, a Web3 layer, and an on-device crypto wallet.
Native non-custodial wallet (GuapcoinX / GUAP token). This is core, and none of it is possible on the web. A 12-word recovery phrase is generated on the device with native BIP-39 / BIP-32 key derivation. The private key is stored in the iOS Keychain, so it never leaves the device or touches a server. Every transaction is gated by Face ID via the native LocalAuthentication framework. Transactions are signed on-device (secp256k1) and broadcast to the GuapcoinX network.
Web3 and blockchain domains. The app registers and resolves on-chain domain names, .guap and .hbcu, and routes to them. These are real blockchain writes initiated and signed by the user. To my knowledge this is the only iOS browser that resolves these domains natively.
Native AI assistant. A native SwiftUI chat that returns tailored Black-owned business recommendations from a ZIP code.
Native directory and Discover. A native SwiftUI feed and search over a directory of Black-owned businesses, news, podcasts, wikis, resources, and a community board, preserving Black culture and content in a single app.
A browser tab is included so users can open community and Web3 sites and reach their .guap and .hbcu domains. It is one tab among several, not the substance of the app.
THE REJECTION
Guideline 4.2, Design, Minimum Functionality. The app provides a limited user experience as it is not sufficiently different from a web browsing experience. Including features such as push notifications, Core Location, or sharing do not provide a robust enough experience to be appropriate for the App Store.
(Screenshot of the rejection attached.)
WHY I THINK 4.2 DOESN'T FIT
The rejection says the experience is not sufficiently different from a web browsing experience. But the core of the app is a native crypto wallet doing on-device key generation, Keychain storage, biometric-gated signing, and on-chain transactions, capabilities a website physically cannot provide. The App Store hosts many approved apps that pair an in-app browser with a native wallet and an AI assistant, which is exactly the combination here.
I suspect the native functionality was missed because the app opens on the Home and browser tab, so the reviewer may not have reached the Wallet and Assistant tabs.
MY QUESTIONS
First, for those who've cleared a 4.2 on an app with a genuine native wallet: did a Resolution Center reply work, or did you have to change the app or metadata?
Second, is it worth changing the default launch tab to a native screen such as the Wallet, so the native functionality is the first thing a reviewer sees?
Third, is there any guidance from Apple on how an in-app browser should be positioned so it isn't read as the whole app?
Thanks in advance.
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