Apple in the crosshairs: Brazil investigates NFC restrictions

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Apple is under pressure in Brazil over potential antitrust violations. The competition authority CADE is investigating whether access to the NFC function on the iPhone is being restricted, thereby disadvantaging other providers in the contactless payment sector.

This case is part of a larger trend: Closed systems like Apple's are increasingly coming under scrutiny from regulatory authorities worldwide. In Brazil, the widely used PIX payment system plays a particularly central role in this.

Starting point of the investigation

The investigation was launched last year following complaints from the Brazilian central bank, Banco Central, and the banking lobby, Febraban. They wanted to determine whether Apple was giving third-party providers less access to NFC technology than its own services, such as Apple Pay.

Apple's argument

Apple rejects the accusations and emphasizes that it is legally permissible to charge fees for its own services. Furthermore, its market share in the Brazilian smartphone market is only around 10 percent.

Furthermore, Apple emphasizes that third-party developers have had access to the iPhone's NFC functionality since 2024. The market for digital payments is generally well-positioned, and Apple Pay harms neither consumers nor competitors.

New request from the authority

CADE has now intensified its investigation and submitted a formal request on the 17th. They are demanding details regarding fees, technical requirements, and contracts with developers (via MacMagazine).

Apple must provide this information by March 30th.

Role of PIX

An important factor is the PIX payment system, which has been in use since 2020 and is the dominant payment method in Brazil. Although contactless payment is now possible, Apple does not implement this feature.

Apple justifies the move by stating that many users still prefer QR code payments. However, authorities view this decision critically.

Further regulatory issues

Additionally, there is the question of whether Apple could be classified as a "Payment Transaction Initiator." This would entail stricter requirements for opening up the system and collaborating with other providers. Apple is apparently trying to avoid this classification.

Apple had previously accused Brazilian banks of targeting the company specifically during the investigation.

Current status

Apple has not yet publicly commented on CADE's new request. The deadline for a response is the end of March.

Apple under increasing regulatory pressure

This case demonstrates how closely Apple and other tech companies in the payments sector are under scrutiny. Access to technologies like NFC, in particular, is becoming increasingly regulated.

The decision by the Brazilian authorities could have implications beyond the local market and influence how Apple designs its system globally in the future. (Image: Shutterstock / Runrun2)