Apple to Add Flexibility for App Developers, Including in Web3

Apple Web3 policy may be affected if it allows third-party app stores on the iPhone

article-image

Robson90/Shutterstock.com modified by Blockworks

share

Apple Inc. reportedly plans to allow alternative app stores on its iPhones and iPads next year in response to looming regulatory changes in the European Union. 

The move, reported by Bloomberg, would let iOS users download third-party software to their devices, bypassing Apple’s up-to-30% commission on in-app purchases — a policy that also affected NFT-related apps.

In September, the tech giant enabled developers of current apps to sell non-fungible tokens in-app and new apps to trade NFTs within them. 

Those developers who made over $1 million annually through the ‌App Store‌ were subject to Apple taking a 30% cut, while developers making less than that paide 15%. Additionally, Apple made it so that NFT-related transactions on an iPhone or iPad could only be made in US dollars and not cryptocurrency.

In less than a month, Apple ended up backtracking on its Web3 policy and restricting content and functions associated with license keys, augmented reality markers, QR codes, cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency wallets. NFT-related functions in-app, such as sales, mints, listings or transfers are still allowed.

The new shift for Apple to support external apps from third-party marketplaces may benefit Web3 developers and expand the use of NFT-related applications and mobile crypto payments. 

Apple would be complying with Europe Union’s (EU) Digital Markets Act (DMA), an antitrust legislation approved by the EU parliament in July. While the new law takes effect in early 2023, companies aren’t required to fully comply until 2024. 

The company still has to decide whether to allow third-party developers to use their own payments infrastructure or make them use Apple’s payments setup, per Bloomberg.

Once in effect, the policy change would likely be featured in Apple’s iOS 17 software update, scheduled for next fall.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Unlocked by Template.png

Research

The march toward an interoperable and onchain-by-default internet depends on reliable messaging and value transfer across heterogeneous domains. Crosschain protocols now process >$1.3T in combined annual transfer volume and secure tens of millions of user interactions, yet no single design dominates.

article-image

The goal, per Santiago Santos, is to make crypto a relatable piece of tech for people who may not even understand it

article-image

Stripe stablecoin unit aims to operate under a federal charter enabling regulated stablecoin issuance and custody services

by Blockworks /
article-image

Will TradFi make crypto better or create more problems than it solves?

article-image

Subtle decisions by risk curators saved Aave from significant turmoil

article-image

The new Rootstock Institutional unit aims to connect professional investors to Bitcoin-native yield and liquidity strategies anchored in BTC’s security layer

by Blockworks /
article-image

DOJ files record civil forfeiture against more than 127,000 BTC linked to scam activity

by Blockworks /