NFC access under scrutiny
The Competition and Markets Authority has opened a consultation on a proposed conduct requirement that would force Apple to open up near field communication (NFC) access on its mobile platform, under new rules published on 20 October 2026. The move targets the chip inside iPhones that powers contactless payments, currently controlled by Apple Pay and Apple Wallet.
The CMA says the requirement would relate specifically to NFC access on iOS and follows a call for evidence it ran on the subject in June 2026. In plain terms, the regulator is examining whether to require Apple to let other payment and wallet providers tap into the same contactless technology that Apple’s own apps use, something banks and fintech firms have long argued is restricted.
What this follows
The NFC consultation is the latest in a string of interventions the CMA has made since designating Apple as having strategic market status, or SMS, in respect of its mobile platform. That final decision, confirmed on 22 October 2025, covers Apple’s mobile operating systems, native app distribution, and its mobile browser and browser engine. The designation gives the CMA powers under the UK’s digital markets competition regime to impose conduct requirements on Apple in the UK.
Since then the regulator has moved on several fronts. In April 2026 it published final commitments from Apple covering app review, app ranking, use of data, and interoperable access to iOS features for developers, following a call for evidence it ran in February 2026. The same month it opened a separate call for evidence on recent developments in app store rules.
In June 2026 the CMA also launched a consultation on a proposed “steering” conduct requirement, which would affect how Apple lets developers direct customers to deals or payment options outside its own app store. Responses to that consultation were published in August 2026.
Who is affected and what happens next
For UK consumers, the NFC proposals could eventually mean more choice over which apps handle contactless payments on an iPhone, rather than relying solely on Apple’s own wallet. For developers and fintech firms operating in the UK, it raises the prospect of being able to build competing tap-to-pay services that use the same hardware access Apple currently reserves for itself.
The CMA has not yet set out a timetable for closing the NFC consultation or publishing a final decision. Apple has not issued a public response specifically to the NFC proposals as recorded in the CMA’s case material.
What to watch next
The consultation adds to a lengthening list of CMA interventions on Apple’s mobile platform, alongside the steering and app store commitments already in train. UK businesses in payments and app development should watch for the consultation’s closing date and any draft requirement text, while consumers should expect no immediate change to how Apple Pay works on their iPhone until the CMA reaches a final decision.