UK regulator wants to make it easier to rival Apple Pay on iPhones

The UK's competition regulator has proposed rules that would make it easier and cheaper for other companies to offer alternatives to Apple Pay on the iPhone. The regulator says Apple's fees and restrictions make it too hard for rivals to launch contactless payment apps. Apple disagrees with part of the plan, and nothing is final yet.

What the regulator wants

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) wants developers to have more ways to use the iPhone's NFC technology. NFC is the short-range wireless feature that lets you pay by holding your phone near a payment terminal.

Apple opened NFC access to developers in the UK in 2024. But companies must sign an agreement with Apple and pay fees. They must also use the Secure Element, a chip in the iPhone that stores sensitive information such as payment credentials.

The CMA wants Apple to also support host card emulation, or HCE. It is another way for payment apps to work, and it does not use the Secure Element. The CMA also proposes rules it expects would substantially lower Apple's access fees. Apple would still be allowed to charge something.

The EU comparison

Apple already offers HCE access for free in the European Union, under commitments agreed in 2024. The CMA notes that rival payment apps have launched there since. In the UK, no competing wallet-type product has launched under Apple's current terms.

Apple's response

Apple told Reuters that developers can already offer contactless services using its technology. It said it does not believe the CMA should require an approach with lower privacy and security protections. It also said it will keep working toward an outcome that is in the best interest of its users.

The CMA said the evidence it reviewed did not suggest either approach is inherently insecure.

What happens next

The proposals are open for public consultation until November 17, 2026. After reviewing the responses, the CMA will make a final decision.

• Nothing changes for UK iPhone owners today.
• If the rules pass, users could eventually get more tap-to-pay choices beyond Apple's own wallet.
• Better deals are possible, but the material does not say which companies might launch apps or what fees would apply.