Brazil: App Marketplaces and External Payments
Due to regulatory action, Apple has agreed to allow alternative app stores, third-party payment systems for in-app purchases, and in-app links to external offers on iOS in Brazil, according to legal news website MLex and Brazilian blog Tecnoblog.
Previously:
- Japan: App Marketplaces, External Payments, New Fee Structure
- UK: Commission Lawsuit Ruling and Strategic Market Status
- Australian Court Finds iOS App Store Monopoly
- Brazil Recommends Sanctions for Apple Over App Store and NFC Rules
- DMA Compliance: Alternative App Stores But No Sideloading
- StoreKit External Purchase Entitlement for South Korea
Update (2025-12-26): Hartley Charlton (Slashdot):
CADE specified that Apple may still display warnings or informational messages to users, but those messages must be neutral, objective, and limited in scope, and must not introduce extra steps or barriers that make alternative options harder to use.
According to Brazilian technology site Tecnoblog, which said it obtained the details directly from CADE, purchases made through the App Store will remain subject to a 10% or 25% commission under standard terms. Developers who use Apple's payment system would also pay a 5% transaction fee.
If an app directs users to pay outside the app using only static text, with no clickable link or button, Apple will not charge a fee. If the app includes a clickable button or link that sends users to an external website for payment, Apple will charge a 15% fee. Third-party app stores will be subject to a 5% Core Technology Commission.
In 2022, Latin American e-commerce giant MercadoLibre filed a complaint with Brazil’s competition watchdog, the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), challenging Apple’s iOS App Store rules, including restrictions on app distribution and the mandatory use of Apple’s in-app payment system.
Since then, the legal back-and-forth closely followed the script seen in other countries where Apple has faced similar antitrust scrutiny. Both Apple and MercadoLibre scored legal wins, which were immediately challenged by the opposing side.
[…]
In a statement provided to 9to5Mac, Apple said:
In order to comply with regulatory demands from CADE, Apple is making changes that will impact iOS apps in Brazil. While these changes will open new privacy and security risks to users, we have worked to maintain protections against some threats, including keeping in place important safeguards for younger users. These safeguards will not eliminate every risk, but they will help ensure that iOS remains the best, most secure mobile platform available in Brazil and we will continue to advocate on behalf of users and developers.
