UK Proposes Requiring Apple to Open iPhone Contactless Payments
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On October 21, 2026, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) proposed requiring Apple to open iPhone contactless payment technology to competing apps in the UK and provide access at lower fees. The proposal requires Apple to provide host card emulation (HCE) technology; the CMA expects the fees to be significantly lower than Apple's current fees, but has not yet announced a specific amount. The UK consultation will end on November 17. The CMA said that contactless payments accounted for 39% of payments in the UK in 2025, up from 3% ten years earlier; surveys show that 62% of UK adults use digital wallets.
AI-written from reports · updated 2 hours ago
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- Finance MagnatesSelectedCMA proposes requiring Apple to open iPhone contactless payments to competing apps in the UK
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed requiring Apple to open its iPhone contactless payment technology to competing apps in the UK and provide access at lower fees. The proposal requires Apple to provide HCE, and the CMA expects fees to be significantly lower than Apple’s current fees, but has not announced a specific amount; the UK consultation will end on November 17. The CMA said contactless payments accounted for 39% of payments in the UK in 2025, up from 3% a decade earlier; a survey found that 62% of UK adults use digital wallets.
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