CMA proposes making Apple open iPhone NFC to UK wallets and apps

CMA proposes making Apple open iPhone NFC to UK wallets and apps

20 October 2026: The UK Competition and Markets Authority has proposed requiring Apple to give developers access to the iPhone's contactless (NFC) technology through both of the standards used internationally, host card emulation and the secure element, on fair, reasonable, transparent and non-discriminatory terms. The consultation on the proposed conduct requirement closes on 17 November 2026.

Not yet independently verified. The CMA has not said when a final requirement would take effect, and we have not read the full consultation document or a response from Apple. We will update this when it can be confirmed, and remove this note.

What the requirement would change

Apple currently offers only secure element (SE) access in the UK, where payment credentials are stored on the device. The CMA would add host card emulation (HCE), where the data is held off the device, which is how most wallet apps on other platforms work. The authority says the evidence it has seen suggests neither technology raises inherent security concerns, and that offering both would let UK firms launch payment services they already run in the EU.

It is not proposing to set Apple's prices. Instead it sets out principles for how charges should be determined, with the expectation that they would be "substantially lower" than Apple's current fees while still rewarding Apple fairly. The CMA also notes that any non-disclosure agreement with Apple should not stop a business from responding, and that Apple has confirmed it will not use confidentiality terms to prevent responses.

Why the CMA is acting

The proposal is the latest conduct requirement under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, following Apple's designation as having strategic market status in mobile platforms. The CMA points to the EU, where Vipps launched the first alternative payment app six months after Apple agreed to open NFC for payments, followed by PayPal, Klarna, Curve and BBVA; in the UK, it says, not a single firm has launched a competing wallet-type product. It cites UK Finance figures that contactless payments rose 2% to 19.2 billion in 2025, 39% of all payments against 3% a decade earlier, and a Which? survey in which 62% of adults use a digital wallet, half of them Apple Wallet.

"These proposals open the door to more innovation, more choice and economic growth, including in the UK's important fintech sector," said Sarah Cardell, the CMA's chief executive. David Geale, the FCA's executive director for consumers, payments and competition, said improved access and "substantially lower fees should create greater competition and more choice for consumers and businesses".

Apple disagrees. In a statement to the BBC it said its current arrangements already let developers offer contactless payments, transit passes, car keys and tickets in their own apps, and that "We do not believe the CMA should require Apple to adopt an approach with lower privacy and security protections."

Who should respond

Beyond payments, the CMA names account-to-account payments, digital identity, travel passes and digital keys as uses that depend on NFC access. Banks, fintechs, transport operators, access-control vendors and anyone building a wallet for iPhone users in the UK have until 11:59pm on 17 November to send evidence on the technical and commercial terms they would need. A final decision follows once responses have been assessed.

Related on TrustList:

• Nigeria: banks and fintechs must host payments data inside the country from 1 January 2027, the central bank has directed
• Rwanda switches off 3G on 30 June 2027: USSD services, payment terminals, meters and trackers must move to 4G

Sources

• CMA: CMA outlines proposals to unlock contactless technology on Apple iPhone, 20 October 2026
• CMA: Proposed NFC access conduct requirement for Apple's mobile platform (consultation), 20 October 2026
• BBC News: Apple contactless tech fees should be lower, says UK watchdog (Apple statement), 20 October 2026