The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has opened a consultation that could reshape how developers interact with NFC technology on Apple’s iOS devices. The proposed requirements, if adopted, would compel Apple to grant third-party developers access to the iPhone’s near field communication hardware, opening up possibilities that have long been restricted to Apple’s own apps and services.
At the heart of the proposal is a simple but significant shift: allowing UK fintechs and app developers to tap into the NFC chip built into every modern iPhone. Currently, Apple tightly controls which apps can use NFC for contactless transactions, effectively locking out competitors from offering tap-to-pay functionality through their own digital wallets. The CMA wants to change that.
If the requirements go ahead, developers would be able to build apps that support contactless payments, account-to-account transfers, and digital currency transactions using NFC. But the implications stretch well beyond payments. The consultation document highlights use cases including digital identity verification, stablecoin wallets, and even car keys, all powered by the same NFC hardware that Apple has kept under tight control.
The CMA is actively seeking input from the developer community on two key questions. First, what technical method should be used to provide NFC access on iOS? And second, what would constitute fair pricing for that access? The deadline for responses on the NFC consultation is 21 July 2026, giving developers and businesses just weeks to have their say on what could become a landmark ruling for the RFID and contactless technology sector.
For the broader NFC ecosystem, the move signals a potential wave of innovation. Smaller payment providers and fintech startups have long argued that Apple’s grip on NFC functionality creates an uneven playing field. Opening up access could lead to a surge in new contactless applications, particularly in areas like transit ticketing, loyalty programmes, and secure access control where NFC is already widely adopted on Android devices.
The NFC consultation sits alongside a separate but related set of proposals around app store steering. The CMA is also looking at rules that would allow developers to direct customers to alternative payment methods outside of the App Store and Google Play. Apple currently bans this practice outright, while Google restricts it, though Google announced on 24 June that it would update its Play Store terms to allow developer steering in the UK with immediate effect.
The steering proposals include principles to ensure that any fees charged by platforms for off-store transactions remain “fair and reasonable” and sit below current app store commission rates. The consultation on steering requirements is open until 28 July 2026.
These moves come after 18 months of work under the UK’s digital markets competition regime. The CMA has now concluded three strategic market status investigations and recently launched a fourth targeting Microsoft, signalling that regulatory scrutiny of big tech platforms is only intensifying. A final decision on the Apple and Google requirements is expected later in 2026.
Read more at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-consults-on-new-requirements-for-apple-and-googles-mobile-platforms