Apple removes 30% fee on crypto app purchases

Apple has been ordered by a US district court to stop charging commissions on purchases made outside its iOS apps, a decision that could impact the crypto app industry significantly.

On April 30, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple violated a 2021 injunction aimed at curbing the company’s anticompetitive practices related to app purchases.

“The Court finds Apple in willful violation of this Court’s 2021 Injunction,” Rogers wrote, adding that Apple’s interference with competition “will not be tolerated.”

The ruling requires Apple to immediately allow developers to communicate freely with users about off-app purchases and prohibits Apple from imposing new commissions on these transactions.

Apple is also barred from monitoring or tracking purchases made outside the app and cannot restrict how developers place links directing users to external payment systems.

Following the ruling, Apple updated its guidelines, though some industry observers described the changes as “passive aggressive” in tone.

Appfigures CEO Ariel Michaeli noted that apps can now link to external NFT collections and payment systems without needing special permissions from Apple.

“This is hugely bullish for mobile crypto games and apps,” crypto commentator “Xero” tweeted, while Alex Masmej called the ruling “absolutely huge for crypto.”

The ruling comes amid ongoing legal battles between Apple and Epic Games, whose CEO Tim Sweeney announced plans to relaunch Fortnite on the US Apple App Store under the new terms.

“Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation,” Sweeney said.