In a significant shift that could reshape the mobile crypto landscape, Apple has relaxed its restrictive policies on NFT and cryptocurrency applications following an antitrust ruling against the tech giant.
The changes, stemming from Epic Games’ legal victory, eliminate previous barriers that prevented iOS apps from directing users to external purchasing methods for digital assets.
The federal court found Apple “willfully” violated a 2021 injunction, prohibiting the company from collecting fees on purchases made outside its ecosystem or limiting developers’ ability to guide users to third-party websites.
Court Ruling Forced Crypto Revolution
This decision directly challenges Apple’s notorious 27% commission on external purchases, often called the “Apple Tax.”
Under the revised guidelines, US App Store developers can now include buttons, external links, and calls-to-action that allow users to browse and purchase NFTs through secondary marketplaces. The prohibition against encouraging alternative purchasing methods has been lifted specifically for the United States storefront, though international restrictions largely remain in place.
For NFT marketplaces like OpenSea, which previously could only offer browsing capabilities without purchase functionality, these changes represent a breakthrough. Users will no longer face the frustrating limitation of discovering digital collectibles on iOS apps but being unable to buy them without switching to other platforms.
Crypto Community Celebrates Victory
The crypto industry has greeted Apple’s policy reversal with enthusiasm, with some experts suggesting it could trigger a “generational golden consumer crypto bull run.” After all, these changes will permit greater experimentation with crypto-native mobile applications that were previously blocked from the App Store.
Digital wallet providers like Magic Eden, which had resorted to embedding browsers within their applications to circumvent Apple’s restrictions, can now offer more streamlined purchasing experiences. This mirrors the functionality of self-custodial wallets from companies such as MetaMask, Coinbase, and Uniswap.
The implications for broader Web3 adoption could be profound, as the iOS ecosystem represents over 50% of the U.S. mobile market. With easier access to NFT marketplaces and cryptocurrency platforms, millions of iPhone users may encounter digital assets in their natural mobile environment for the first time.
However, Apple hasn’t completely embraced the wild west of cryptocurrency. Significant restrictions remain in place, prohibiting apps from offering currency for completing tasks, facilitating initial coin offerings (ICOs), or using devices for mining digital assets. These ongoing limitations reflect Apple’s cautious approach to blockchain integration.
The policy shift follows similar moves by Google, which updated its Play Store policies in 2023 to allow NFTs to unlock in-app content regardless of purchase location. As Apple plans to appeal the court’s decision, the battle between traditional tech gatekeepers and the decentralized promise of Web3 continues, with this ruling representing a crucial victory for the latter.
For developers and users alike, these changes mark a watershed moment in the evolution of mobile crypto applications, potentially unlocking new possibilities for digital asset interaction on the world’s most closely guarded app ecosystem.
