Apple has accused Brazilian banks of seeking a 'free ride' on its NFC technology in a dispute with Brazil's competition watchdog CADE. The company argues that third-party payment providers want to leverage Apple's proprietary technology without compensating for the company's research and development investments or ongoing security services.

This latest statement comes after Brazil's central bank and banking lobby Febraban requested an investigation into whether Apple unfairly limits third-party access to iPhone NFC compared to its own Apple Pay service. Apple maintains that it holds only 10% of Brazil's smartphone market and that third-party developers have had NFC access since 2024. The company also points to PIX, Brazil's free instant payment system launched in 2020, as evidence that the market is already well-served with payment options.

Apple's legal team specifically argued that banks want to promote an NFC access model that introduces friction for users, requiring them to select different payment solutions each time they want to use a different card. This contrasts with Apple Pay's seamless experience. The dispute highlights the tension between tech companies' control over their platforms and regulators' push for open access, particularly in markets where alternative payment systems like PIX dominate consumer behavior.