UK moves to ease Apple and Google app store payment rules under new competition push

The UK’s competition regulator has proposed easing restrictions on Apple and Google’s app store payment systems, in a move aimed at increasing competition in digital markets and expanding payment flexibility for developers.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the proposed framework would allow developers to direct users toward alternative payment options outside Apple’s App Store and Google Play billing systems. This would mark a shift from existing rules that restrict or limit the ability of apps to guide users to external checkout methods.

Under the proposal, Apple and Google would still be permitted to charge fees for enabling external payment “steering,” but those charges would need to be justified as fair, reasonable, and lower than current commission structures. Regulators also indicated that any cost reductions achieved through the changes should ultimately benefit consumers or be reinvested into innovation.

The CMA added that pricing for such access should reflect the actual services provided by the platforms, rather than functioning as indirect commission mechanisms. This forms part of a broader effort to ensure transparency in how app store ecosystems are monetized.

The proposed changes fall under the UK’s wider digital markets regime, which grants the regulator enhanced powers over firms designated with “strategic market status.” Apple and Google dominate mobile operating systems and app distribution in the UK, where their platforms control the majority of smartphone usage.

In addition to payment steering, the CMA is also considering broader structural interventions, including potential requirements for Apple to open up access to its NFC (near-field communication) technology. Such a move could enable third-party payment systems, including digital wallets and account-to-account payment options, to operate more freely within iOS apps.

Google has already begun rolling out certain global changes aligned with parts of the proposed framework, while Apple has raised concerns that expanded external payment access could increase risks related to fraud, security, and user protection.

The proposal follows earlier commitments from both companies aimed at improving transparency in app store ranking systems, review processes, and developer data access as UK regulators continue to increase scrutiny of large platform ecosystems.

A final decision is expected after a consultation period, as the CMA continues shaping the future rules governing competition in app store markets in the UK.