NFC Forum NDEF and wireless charging adopted as IEC 63652

NDEF, the data format NFC tags use to carry links and records, is now an IEC standard. The same is true of NFC wireless charging for small devices under 3 W. Both are therefore easier to cite in EU rules such as the Digital Product Passport and common charging. Buyers can specify NFC tags and readers against an international standard rather than an industry specification.

For NFC tag and reader makers, the important part is NDEF, the NFC Data Exchange Format (IEC 63652-2:2026), which defines how data records on NFC Forum-compliant tags and devices are structured, exchanged and interpreted. As an IEC standard it is easier to cite in EU rules such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP), and buyers can specify NFC tags that carry links and records against it rather than against an industry specification.

The second standard, IEC 63652-1:2026, covers NFC wireless charging (WLC) for small battery-powered devices below 3 W, such as earbuds, stylus pens and fitness trackers. RFID News reported in March 2026 that it was already used in more than 100 million devices, and that it aligns with the EU common charging rules, which matters to makers of those devices.

Both adoptions were announced on 5 March 2026.