Brazil's competition watchdog CADE has intensified its probe into Apple's restrictions on iPhone NFC access, sending a formal notice to the company on March 17, 2026 demanding detailed information about developer fees, technical requirements, and contracts related to near-field communication payments in Brazil. The move marks a significant escalation in a dispute that began when Brazil's central bank, the Banco Central do Brasil, and banking lobby group Febraban asked CADE to investigate whether Apple was unfairly limiting third-party payment providers' access to the iPhone's NFC hardware.
Apple has been given until March 30, 2026 to respond to CADE's demands. The investigation centers on Apple's refusal to enable PIX por Aproximacao, the contactless tap-to-pay function of Brazil's instant payment system PIX, on iPhones. While the BCB rolled out the contactless PIX protocol and made it mandatory for all participating institutions from February 2, 2026 under Resolutions 406 and 407, the feature currently works only on Android devices through Google Wallet integration.
The stakes are significant for Brazil's payments landscape. PIX por Aproximacao processed 1.06 million transactions worth R$46.5 million in January 2026, a modest figure compared to the more than 7 billion total PIX transactions in the same month. Industry specialists estimate that approximately 15 percent of current retail PIX volume could eventually migrate to contactless payments, but the lack of iPhone support creates a ceiling on adoption.
Apple has pushed back against the pressure, arguing in February 2026 that Brazilian banks are seeking a free ride on its technology infrastructure. The company contends that it holds only 10 percent of Brazil's smartphone market, that third-party developers have had access to the iPhone's NFC hardware since 2024, and that nothing in Brazilian law prevents it from charging fees for its services. Apple has also characterized contactless PIX as not a clear priority nor an essential consumer demand in Brazil, noting that most users prefer QR code-based transactions.
The BCB has publicly expressed concerns about Apple's position, warning that iPhone NFC restrictions and excessive token storage and solicitation costs could generate negative externalities for competition, inclusion, and innovation in Brazil's digital payments ecosystem. CADE is also considering whether Apple should be classified as a Payment Transaction Initiator under Brazilian regulations, a designation that would require broader interoperability and open access to its systems.
The outcome of this investigation could set a precedent for how global technology companies interact with national instant payment systems. Similar NFC access disputes have emerged in the European Union and other jurisdictions, but Brazil's case is notable because PIX has become the country's leading payment method, processing over 200 million transactions daily.