Apple's tap-to-pay access faces CMA scrutiny under UK competition powers
The UK Competition and Markets Authority is seeking evidence on how rivals should get NFC access to the iPhone and what that access should cost, according to an analysis by Bratby Law.
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The UK Competition and Markets Authority is examining Apple's control over tap-to-pay on the iPhone, asking for evidence on two points: the technical method by which other developers should be given access to the device's NFC chip, and what price Apple should be allowed to charge for it, according to an analysis of the proceedings by Bratby Law. The inquiry runs under the UK's Strategic Market Status regime, created by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, rather than under a payments-specific rulebook, Bratby Law said.
The scrutiny sits alongside a separate case in the United States, where a federal judge has certified a class action covering US entities that issued Apple Pay-enabled cards, according to Payments Dive. That lawsuit accuses Apple of blocking competition in tap-to-pay by making its own wallet the only contactless option on iPhones, forcing card issuers to pay fees to use it.
In a related but distinct UK process, the CMA is also weighing whether to lower the commission Apple charges in the App Store for alternative payment options, according to Gotechtor, which reported that Apple has said it will keep defending its payment system on security grounds during that consultation.
Any move by the CMA to force open NFC access would add a new front to Apple's legal exposure, distinct from the demand and supply pressures already facing the company, including trimmed iPhone 18 Pro orders and a delayed Duo device, and separate from the ongoing trade secrets litigation brought by OpenAI. Unlike the recent approval of Apple Intelligence in China, which removed a regulatory obstacle, a forced change to NFC rules would open one, striking at how Apple Pay operates just as the company has been expanding its payment partnerships. Other jurisdictions that have pushed Apple on NFC access have taken years to reach even incremental concessions, rather than fast resolutions.