UK Competition Regulator Plans to Force Apple to Open NFC Payments; Apple May Resort to Legal Action
nashnova research
Britain's CMA plans to propose next week that Apple open the iPhone's NFC chip to rival payment apps, backed by fines of up to 10% of global revenue. Apple is likely to challenge the decision in court — a case that will test whether UK digital-market regulation has real teeth.
What exactly is the CMA demanding?
The CMA has concluded that Apple abuses its dominant position in the UK "tap-to-pay" market and plans to publish a formal consultation proposal next week.
The core demand: modify iOS so that users can choose payment apps other than Apple Pay when using NFC — the near-field-communication chip that lets a phone complete a transaction with a single tap.
This means → Apple would no longer be allowed to lock NFC access to its own wallet; third-party payment apps must be able to call the same chip.
What happens if Apple refuses?
The proposal rests on UK digital-competition rules that took effect last year — the CMA has designated Apple as having "Strategic Market Status" (SMS), valid for five years.
The penalty for non-compliance: fines of up to 10% of global turnover. In plain terms = Apple's FY2024 revenue was roughly $390 billion, putting the theoretical ceiling near $39 billion.
This reflects a broader shift: UK regulators are moving from guidance to enforcement with real financial consequences, converging with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA).
How is Apple likely to respond?
Two people familiar with the matter say Apple is very likely to mount a legal challenge against the CMA's decision.
Apple's longstanding argument: restricting NFC access protects user security and prevents fraud.
In 2024 Apple introduced a commercial-access programme — third parties can tap into NFC after signing an agreement, meeting Apple's security rules, and paying a fee. The CMA considers this arrangement still anti-competitive.
What do banks and fintechs want?
PayPal, Revolut, Monzo and others have long complained that Apple's rules shut them out of tap-to-pay functionality.
They also object to the 0.15% fee Apple charges when credit-card transactions run through Apple Pay.
Regulators have a further concern: some payment providers refuse to build separate wallet products for Europe and the UK, so innovations already live in EU markets have been slow to reach Britain. This means → Apple's closed ecosystem may be dragging on the pace of innovation across the UK fintech sector.
Why does this lawsuit matter?
The CMA itself is undergoing a reset — the UK government replaced its chair last year and told the regulator to give greater weight to economic growth.
The CMA has since accelerated investigations and taken a softer line on mergers, yet on Apple's NFC it is choosing to push hard.
In plain terms = whether Apple can block this rule in court will directly answer one question: does UK digital-market regulation actually bind the biggest tech platforms?
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