Brazil’s regulator probes Apple over iPhone NFC limits

Brazil’s antitrust regulator is stepping up its scrutiny of Apple over how it controls NFC (near-field communication) access on the iPhone, particularly for contactless payments.

The country’s competition authority, CADE, has formally requested more information from Apple about its policies. The regulator wants details on fees, technical requirements, and agreements the company has with developers. Apple has been given a deadline of March 30 to respond.  

This investigation stems from complaints raised last year by Brazil’s central bank and banking groups. They argue that Apple may be unfairly limiting competitors by restricting access to the iPhone’s NFC technology—while giving preferential treatment to its own payment system.  

Apple, however, disputes these claims. The company says it is allowed to charge for access to its technology and points out that it only holds a relatively small share of Brazil’s smartphone market. It also maintains that third-party developers have been able to use NFC on iPhones since 2024 and that consumers already have plenty of payment options.  

A key part of the dispute involves PIX, Brazil’s hugely popular instant payment system. Although a contactless version of PIX has been introduced, Apple has not adopted it on the iPhone, reportedly viewing it as unnecessary given that most users still rely on QR codes.