Apple Ordered To Let Apps Use External Payments After Court Defeat
A long-running legal battle between Apple and Epic Games has ended in a significant shift for app developers: Apple must now allow all apps on its U.S. App Store to include direct links to external payment methods.
This decision dismantles the company’s long-enforced 30% commission model, known widely as the “Apple Tax,” and marks a major turn in how digital commerce operates on mobile.
What Does This Mean For Developers And Users
For years, developers on Apple’s platform were required to process payments through Apple’s system, giving up 30% of their earnings on digital sales—from subscriptions to gaming upgrades.
This model drew widespread criticism from developers across industries, especially within the crypto and digital asset space.
With the court’s latest ruling, that monopoly has effectively ended.
Apps can now include buttons, links, or prompts that redirect users to purchase pages on external websites—without being penalised, forced into specific wording, or showing what critics labelled as “scare screens.”
Apple previously used these prompts to caution users about leaving its ecosystem, even while charging a reduced 27% fee for purchases made externally.
These measures have now been struck down.
Crypto Apps Finally Get Breathing Room
One of the most immediate beneficiaries is the crypto and Web3 community.
NFT platforms, wallets, and decentralised games previously had to strip out essential features or inflate prices to absorb Apple’s fees.
Now, apps like Coinbase Wallet or Magic Eden can restore full in-app access to token purchases and NFT sales by linking users directly to their own platforms.
For instance, Magic Eden, a major NFT marketplace, was once forced to remove core selling features from its iOS version.
With the ruling, it can offer full functionality again—allowing creators and users to transact without Apple’s intervention.
The Epic Games Lawsuit That Changed Everything
The change stems from a legal battle that began in 2020, when Epic Games challenged Apple’s tight grip on in-app purchases.
Although Apple initially won most aspects of the case, Epic secured a court injunction in 2021 requiring Apple to allow outbound links to other payment systems.
Apple fought to overturn that order but lost on appeal.
A federal appeals court upheld the ruling this week, forcing Apple to finally revise its App Store guidelines and eliminate language around warnings and compliance requirements for external payments.
In a statement following the decision, Apple expressed their dissatisfaction,
“We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court’s order and we will appeal.”
A New Chapter In Mobile Payments
While Apple has made it clear it plans to appeal, the company must now operate under the new guidelines in the meantime.
Developers across gaming, media, and crypto industries are now free to bypass Apple's charges in the U.S.
This shift could redefine how apps monetise, connect with users, and compete.
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