Apple Opens iOS to Alternative App Marketplaces in Brazil
The settlement marks Apple's first regulatory-mandated opening of its iOS ecosystem in Latin America, creating a new regional precedent for app distribution and payment rules.
Reporting from 1 sources: GIGAZINE.
Apple has agreed to allow alternative app marketplaces and third-party payment processing on iOS in Brazil, following a settlement with the country's competition watchdog CADE. The changes, effective with iOS 26.5, include a new fee structure with a 5% Core Technology Fee for apps distributed outside the App Store.
Apple announced on June 18 that it will permit alternative app marketplaces and external payment processing on iOS in Brazil, part of a settlement with Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE). The changes arrive with iOS 26.5. Developers may distribute apps through Apple-certified third-party marketplaces or link to external web payments, though sideloading from websites remains banned. Apple will still present its own in-app purchase option alongside any alternative payment method.
The fee structure shifts as well. For App Store distribution, the standard commission is 21% for digital goods, with a 5% payment processing fee added when using Apple's in-app purchase. Apps linking to external payments pay a 15% store services fee, reduced to 10% for program participants. For apps distributed through alternative marketplaces, Apple will charge a 5% Core Technology Fee on sales of digital goods and services. Developers must agree to the updated license agreement by July 6, 2026.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.