The UK’s competition regulator has proposed changes to make it easier and cheaper for companies to offer alternatives to Apple Pay on iPhone (via Reuters).
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) says Apple’s tariffs and restrictions make it too difficult for rivals to launch contactless payment apps. His proposals would give developers more ways to access the iPhone’s NFC technology, which allows users to pay by holding their device near a payment terminal.
Apple opened NFC access to developers in the UK in 2024, but companies must sign an agreement with Apple and pay a fee. They must also use the iPhone’s Secure Element, which is a chip that stores sensitive information such as payment credentials.
The CMA also wants Apple to support host card emulation (HCE), an alternative that allows payment apps to work without using Secure Element. It also proposes rules that would, it is expected, substantially reduce Apple’s access fees, although they would still allow the company to charge something.
Apple already offers HCE access for free in the European Union under commitments agreed in 2024. The CMA points out that rival payment apps have since launched in the EU, while no competing wallet-type products have launched in the UK under Apple’s current terms.
Apple said Reuters that developers can already offer contactless services using its technology:
We do not believe the CMA should require Apple to take an approach with fewer privacy and security protections. We will continue to work constructively to achieve an outcome that is in the best interests of our users.
The CMA said the evidence it reviewed did not suggest either approach was inherently unsafe. The proposals are open for consultation until 17 November 2026. The CMA will make a final decision after considering the responses.
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