CMA proposes wider iPhone contactless access for UK rivals

UK businesses could gain more ways to build iPhone payment apps, travel passes and digital keys under proposals published by the Competition and Markets Authority on 20 October. The regulator is consulting on technical access and the terms on which Apple would provide it, with responses due by 17 November 2026.

The proposals are not a final requirement already in force. The CMA says it will make its decision after considering responses to the consultation.

Two routes to contactless services

The proposals would require Apple to offer access through both of the main internationally used approaches to near field communication, or NFC: secure element and host-based card emulation. The CMA says Apple currently offers only secure element access in the UK.

The regulator argues that choice of technology would support a wider range of business models and make it easier for UK firms to offer payment services available elsewhere. Potential uses extend beyond paying at a till to digital identity, travel tickets, loyalty services and building or car keys.

Fee principles rather than a fixed price

The CMA says high fees and restrictive terms can make access commercially unviable even where the technology is technically available. It is proposing principles for determining charges, rather than setting a specific price and contract terms itself.

The regulator expects those principles to result in substantially lower access fees than Apple’s current charges while still fairly rewarding Apple for providing access. That is the CMA’s expectation for its proposal, rather than evidence that fees have already fallen.

What happens next

The consultation concerns a proposed conduct requirement under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. It follows the CMA’s designation of Apple as having Strategic Market Status in relation to its mobile platform.

Businesses and other respondents can follow the case-page link in the CMA announcement for consultation information and submission details. The closing date is 17 November 2026. Until a final decision is made, consumers should not assume that the proposal itself has launched new competing wallets or changed the terms of an existing payment service.