Around a dozen banking apps began specifically permitting GrapheneOS

Commenters discussed banks allowing their apps to run on GrapheneOS, a privacy-focused Android system. Some welcomed this as meaningful progress toward using banking services without relying solely on Apple or Google devices, and said their own banking apps already worked. Others noted that “works” can mean limited features: some apps restrict functions, profiles, or NFC payments. The reported number of banks also drew questions, with commenters pointing to broader compatibility lists. Support may depend on official GrapheneOS builds and remote attestation, which prompted concern that self-built or modified systems would still be blocked. Critics also questioned the irony of apps demanding strong security checks while requiring users to disable some exploit protections.

The sharpest divide concerned whether app requirements are an acceptable condition of banking. One commenter objected to being made to run proprietary software on personal hardware to access money, preferring web banking or a separate hardware token; another proposed public-key authentication as an alternative. Others argued that banking apps are mainly a convenience and that customers can choose institutions whose requirements suit them. Some commenters understood banks’ caution about fraud and rooted devices, while others criticized banks’ technical competence and saw broad GrapheneOS support as evidence that more open platforms can be accommodated. Views also differed on how much to compromise: some accept Google components or toggling settings to make apps work, while others consider those trade-offs incompatible with GrapheneOS’s privacy goals.