Tracker entry M43
Proposed
Brazil
- Region
- Americas
- Sector
- Payments and mobile
- Imposed by
- CADE
- Applies to
- Apple iPhone NFC access
- Technology
- NFC specific
What the rule requires
CADE is examining whether Apple's fees (reported at 0.12 to 0.17 percent per transaction) and terms for third-party NFC payments on iPhone are anticompetitive, especially for contactless Pix. A settlement or ruling could open iPhone NFC to Brazilian banks and wallets on better terms; the separate App Store settlement CADE signed with Apple on 23 Dec 2025 did not cover NFC.
Status: Investigation ongoing; settlement talks reported Jun 2026, nothing signed that we could confirm
What it means for RFID
The CADE inquiry is about who can use the iPhone's NFC hardware for payments in Brazil, and on what terms. It matters to banks, payment providers and wallet developers who want tap-to-pay on iPhone, and to anyone building on contactless Pix. RFID News reported in March 2026 that Google has adopted the Central Bank's contactless Pix protocol on Android, while Apple had not integrated it.
The inquiry followed a request from Brazil's Central Bank and Febraban, the country's banking lobby group. Apple argues its fees are lawful and points to third-party NFC access on iPhone since 2024.
The investigation is ongoing. Settlement talks were reported in June 2026, but nothing signed has been confirmed, so the outcome to watch is whether a settlement or ruling opens iPhone NFC to Brazilian banks and wallets on better terms.
Timeline
- CADE opens inquiry into Apple's iPhone NFC terms
- Apple files its defence
- CADE sends Apple a formal request on fees, technical terms and contracts
- Deadline for Apple's reply
- Press reports say Apple is willing to settle on free NFC access for contactless Pix
Our coverage
- Apple given deadline to respond to Brazil’s competition commission on NFC payment policies21 Mar 2026
Sources
Official source: Tecnoblog
Last checked against the official source on 1 November 2026.
Newsletter
Get deadline alerts for this and every other RFID mandate
Every Thursday the RFID News weekly digest lists the deadlines coming up from the mandates tracker, alongside the week's deployments and launches.
Related rules
All 65 rules on the mandates tracker This rule in the tracker
Seen a change to this rule, or something we have wrong? Tell the newsroom
