Apple agrees to open iOS app ecosystem in Brazil

On Thursday, Apple announced that developers in Brazil are now allowed to distribute their iOS apps through alternative app stores and process payments for digital goods and services outside the App Store. Under the new rules, developers can bypass the traditional App Store payment systems entirely for digital transactions. The changes are part of an agreement reached with Brazil’s competition regulator, CADE. This agreement loosens Apple’s rules in yet another market, following similar regulatory revisions in the EU and Japan.

To formalize these changes, Apple updated Attachment 12 of its Apple Developer Program License Agreement to specify terms for iOS apps in Brazil. The updated terms introduce the Core Technology Commission (CTC) fee structure to the Brazilian market. This 5% CTC fee applies to apps distributed from the App Store, via the web, and through alternative marketplaces. The 5% CTC fee previously replaced the older Core Technology Fee (CTF) in January as part of Apple’s revised business terms in the EU. Developers in Brazil must agree to the latest update of the license agreement by July 6, 2026, Apple noted.

According to Apple, the updates in Brazil’s market will also include the introduction of several new protections. The protections include:

• A notarization process for iOS apps distributed outside the App Store
• Authorization requirements for alternative app marketplaces
• Other rules designed to protect children from inappropriate content and scams

The agreement in Brazil represents another crack in Apple’s long-held control over the iOS app ecosystem, which has been forced to open up by regulators and, in some cases, via legal battles. In the U.S., for example, Apple now permits developers to direct users to external payment options as a result of the court’s decision in the Epic Games lawsuit against the iPhone maker. These cumulative regulatory and legal actions continue to challenge Apple’s traditional control over its mobile software platform.

Why it matters

This agreement represents another significant erosion of Apple’s long-held control over the iOS app ecosystem, a trend driven by regulatory pressure and legal challenges across major markets.