Brazil’s antitrust authority, Cade, has ruled that Apple must remove its restrictions on in-app purchases within 20 days or risk daily fines of $43,000.
This decision stems from a complaint filed in 2022 by Mercado Libre, a major e-commerce company, which accused Apple of preventing app developers from offering alternative payment methods within their apps.
Under the new ruling, Apple will need to allow developers to either link to external websites for processing digital payments or let them manage payments themselves.
The move signals a broader shift in how Apple’s App Store operates, as the company has faced mounting pressure from regulators globally to open its platform to more third-party payment options.
This ruling is part of a growing trend, with similar actions taken in other countries like the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Europe, where Apple has been required to allow third-party payment systems.
Despite these moves, many regulators remain critical, arguing that Apple’s changes don’t go far enough in allowing developers full freedom in managing their payment systems.
The ongoing cases in multiple regions indicate that Apple’s tightly controlled ecosystem is facing increasing challenges from antitrust regulators worldwide.
