iPhone users on a mainland China Apple ID can't find the Binance app in the App Store. This isn't a restriction imposed unilaterally by Binance — Apple's App Store simply doesn't list any cryptocurrency exchange app in the mainland China region. This article covers 4 iOS installation methods and compares their pros and cons. Before you start, confirm your account is registered on the Binance Official Site, then download the Official Binance App. For the full step-by-step walkthrough with screenshots, see our iOS Install Guide.
Apple's mainland China App Store has removed all "cryptocurrency exchange" apps under local regulations since 2018. Binance, OKX, Bybit, Coinbase, and Kraken are all absent from the mainland China App Store.
Apple determines what you can download based on your Apple ID's registered region. A mainland China Apple ID has "CN" in its country field, so the App Store automatically routes to the mainland China storefront, where the Binance app isn't visible.
Changing your Apple ID's region is a legitimate action with no rule violations involved.
| Method | Cost | Difficulty | Stability | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switch to a Hong Kong/US Apple ID | Free | Medium | High | Most users |
| Register a brand-new non-China Apple ID | Free | Low | High | Users who don't want to touch their main ID |
| TestFlight beta | Free | High | Medium | Trying new features |
| Enterprise-certificate signed version | Free | Low | Low | Temporary use |
This is the most reliable method. Since iOS 13, Apple has allowed a single iPhone to switch the App Store's Apple ID independently, without signing out of your main Apple ID.
If you already have an overseas friend's Apple ID, you can use it directly. Otherwise, you'll need to register one yourself. When registering, you can choose Hong Kong, the US, Japan, or Singapore as the country.
Registration requires a non-China "billing address" and a phone number with a matching area code. You can use a real address (a friend's home, an overseas company) or a publicly listed address (never use a celebrity's address).
Open the App Store app, tap your avatar in the top right, scroll to the bottom, and tap "Sign Out." Note that this step doesn't sign you out of iCloud — it only signs you out of the App Store.
Enter the newly registered Apple ID and password. If two-factor authentication is enabled, you'll receive a 6-digit verification code.
The App Store automatically switches to the non-China storefront. Search for "Binance," confirm the developer is "Binance Inc.," and tap download. It's ready to use as soon as the download completes.
After the download finishes, you can switch back to your mainland China Apple ID. The already-installed Binance app is unaffected, but you'll need to switch to the non-China Apple ID again whenever you update it.
Users who don't want to disturb their main Apple ID can register a separate, brand-new Apple ID dedicated to downloading the Binance app.
Gmail, Outlook, or Proton Mail all work. Just make sure it's never been used to register an Apple ID before.
Tap the banner at the top of Settings, then "Sign in to iPhone" → "Don't have an Apple ID or forgot it?" and start creating a new one.
During registration:
Use a phone number that can receive SMS from overseas (a family member's, a friend's, a virtual number, Google Voice). Use a real address in the corresponding country for the billing address.
If you choose "None" for payment method, you can skip entering a credit card.
Only sign in to this new ID within the App Store — keep your main iCloud on your mainland China ID. This way your photos, contacts, and notes are unaffected.
Search for "Binance" in the App Store and tap download.
Binance occasionally invites select users to try its beta version through TestFlight. This method doesn't require switching Apple ID.
TestFlight slots are limited. You'll need to get an invite link from an official Binance announcement or the community.
First install Apple's official TestFlight app from the App Store. It's available even under a mainland China Apple ID.
Tap the invite link, and TestFlight will automatically open and show the Binance beta install page. Tap "Accept," then "Install."
Every TestFlight build has a 90-day validity period, after which it can no longer launch. Binance releases a new build before the expiration.
An enterprise-certificate version is essentially an IPA signed with an enterprise developer account. After installing it, you'll see a certificate listed under "VPN & Device Management."
This method carries higher risk because:
If you must use this method, make sure the download source is a link from an official Binance announcement or the official Binance homepage.
Open the app's page in the App Store and scroll down to find "Developer" — it must read "Binance Inc."
The genuine Binance app has a rating around 4.6+ and over a hundred million downloads worldwide. If the version you see has an extremely low rating or very few downloads, it may be a counterfeit app.
After logging in, verify that your asset balances match the web version. Any step that asks you to "re-enter your seed phrase" or "import your private key" is a fake app.
How you update depends on which Apple ID you used to install it.
When the App Store shows an update prompt, tapping into it will ask for the password of the Apple ID you used to download the app. If you don't remember which Apple ID that was, you'll get stuck.
Every new beta build triggers a push notification — just tap "Update."
Enterprise-certificate versions don't auto-update. Binance publishes the address for the new version in its official announcements.
App Store balances are regionally siloed. A mainland China Apple ID's balance can't be used in the US storefront.
Switching the App Store's Apple ID doesn't affect iCloud backups. Your photos and contacts continue backing up under your mainland China Apple ID.
Apple flags devices that switch Apple ID frequently within a short period as "suspicious" and may require identity verification. It's recommended to switch no more than twice a week.
Each Apple ID has a limited number of new-device verifications. Signing in on too many devices repeatedly can trigger a 90-day verification lock.
Q: Will switching my Apple ID cause me to lose WeChat or Alipay? No. Apps already installed in mainland China, like WeChat and Alipay, count as "downloaded content" — they'll continue to work normally after switching Apple ID, but you'll need to switch back to your mainland China Apple ID to update them.
Q: Do I need a credit card to register a new Apple ID? No. Just choose "None" as the payment method during registration.
Q: Which is better for the Binance app — a Hong Kong or a US Apple ID? There's no difference for the Binance app itself. A Hong Kong Apple ID lets you pay for RMB-denominated subscription services normally, making it a better fit for mainland China users.
Q: Can I install Binance directly on a jailbroken iOS device? The Binance app will forcibly refuse logins from a jailbroken device (for security reasons). It's recommended to use an unjailbroken, official iOS install instead.
Q: Is the install process different between iOS 16+ and iOS 13? No difference. The Binance app requires iOS 13 at minimum, and the installation steps are identical across iOS 16, 17, and 18.
Q: How do you install the Binance app on iPad? Exactly the same as on iPhone. It runs in a scaled-up phone-view mode by default after downloading, and some newer versions offer an iPad-optimized landscape layout.