Apple is bringing alternative app marketplaces and payment options to iPhone users in Brazil under an agreement with the country’s antitrust regulator, extending App Store changes that were previously limited to the European Union.
The changes reflect an agreement with Brazil’s competition regulator, the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Economica, known as CADE, and will arrive as part of iOS 26.5. Developers can begin integrating the new capabilities immediately.
Developers in Brazil will be able to distribute iPhone apps through marketplaces outside the App Store. Marketplace operators must receive authorization from Apple and comply with ongoing requirements.
Apple will also require apps distributed through alternative marketplaces to pass a notarization process. The company said the review combines automated checks and human oversight designed to identify malware and other known security threats.
Apple is also introducing a revised business model for developers in Brazil. The new structure applies to App Store distribution, alternative payments, and app distribution outside the App Store.
Developers with iOS apps on the App Store in Brazil will pay a reduced commission of either 10% or 21% on sales of digital goods and services, depending on eligibility. Those who continue using Apple In-App Purchase will also pay an additional 5% payment processing fee.
Apple will charge a 15% Store Services Commission on purchases completed through developer websites linked from apps, with some developers qualifying for a reduced 10% rate. Apps distributed outside the App Store will face a 5% Core Technology Commission on sales of digital goods and services.
Developers who sell digital goods and services in Brazil will pay the same amount or less than they do today under the new business terms. Apple will require alternative payment options to appear alongside its own payment system.
The company said the requirement will help users distinguish between purchases processed by Apple and those handled by third parties.
Users who continue using Apple In-App Purchase will retain access to subscription management, refund requests, payment history, and fraud reporting tools. Purchases completed through alternative payment systems or external websites won’t receive the same support features.
Apple will have less ability to assist customers who encounter scams, fraud, or payment disputes involving third-party payment systems. Users may also need to share payment information with additional companies.
Brazil adopts changes similar to Apple’s European framework
Many of the changes mirror Apple’s response to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act. Alternative app marketplaces, app notarization, and external payment options already exist under the company’s EU rules.
Many of the changes mirror Apple’s response to the European Union’s Digital Markets ActApple first built much of the underlying framework to comply with European regulations. Brazil is the first major market outside Europe to receive a similar set of marketplace and payment changes.
The United States has taken a different approach. Litigation involving Epic Games focused largely on payment steering and restrictions on directing users to outside purchasing options.
The Justice Department’s antitrust case challenges broader questions about competition within the iPhone ecosystem. Neither effort has produced nationwide requirements for alternative app marketplaces.
Apple emphasizes security, child safety, and fees
Apple devoted much of its announcement to security, fraud, and child safety concerns tied to alternative app distribution and payment systems. Apps distributed outside the App Store don’t go through the same review process as App Store apps.
Alternative distribution and payment systems can increase exposure to scams, fraud, malware, and objectionable content. Apple also pointed to pornography apps that became available after similar regulatory changes in Europe and Japan.
Apple preserved several safeguards for younger users in Brazil. Apps in the Kids category can’t use external payment links, and alternative payment systems must include parental gates for users under 18.
Users under 18 also won’t be able to access web-based payment flows from App Store apps. Apple is developing APIs that would allow parents to monitor and approve purchases completed outside Apple In-App Purchase.
Apple is pairing the new marketplace and payment options with alternative fees and commissions. The company used a similar approach in Europe when it introduced marketplace distribution and external payment options.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
