Apple vs Epic ruling opens door for crypto payments and NFT features in iOS apps
By: bitcoin ethereum news|2025/05/02 21:00:04
0
Share
The legal war between Apple and Epic Games just ripped a massive hole in how apps are allowed to function on iOS. A federal court in California ruled that Apple violated a 2021 injunction and was blocking fair competition. This ruling now forces Apple to let developers accept crypto payments and use NFT features inside iOS apps without going through Apple’s in-app system or paying its 30% fee. As of right now, Fortnite is coming back to the U.S. iOS App Store, and app developers finally have more control over their own money. According to Variety, the ruling didn’t just end Apple’s monopoly on app payments. It opens a clear path for mobile crypto wallets to plug directly into iOS apps. That means apps can now take USDC, ETH, SOL, and other crypto assets straight from users—no middlemen, no extra fees, no Apple tax. The ruling also allows apps to include NFT marketplace functions directly in the app itself. No more sending users to a mobile browser to complete a sale. NFT apps can now handle the full transaction inside the app. Court says Apple lied and blocks all new anti-competitive moves The decision came from Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who said Apple broke the court’s earlier order on purpose. In her words, “Apple’s continued attempts to interfere with competition will not be tolerated.” She said Apple was not following the law and instead kept building new ways to block developers from using off-app payments. She made it clear the injunction is active now, and Apple is banned from putting new commissions or limits on developers who use their own payment rails. Apple had removed Epic Games’ developer account back in August 2020, right after the original lawsuit. Fortnite was pulled from the App Store, and other Epic titles disappeared. That account was only reinstated in Europe last year. Now, it’s coming back to the United States. The court ruled that Apple tried to get around the previous order by pretending to comply while actually continuing to choke off competition. Judge Rogers specifically called out Alex Roman, Apple’s VP of Finance, for lying under oath. She said Apple’s internal documents showed they knew exactly what they were doing. “In stark contrast to Apple’s initial in-court testimony, contemporaneous business documents reveal that Apple knew exactly what it was doing and at every turn chose the most anticompetitive option,” she said. Sweeney says it’s a win for devs and opens NFT utilities inside apps Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney said the ruling is exactly what developers have been pushing for. “It’s a huge victory for developers,” Tim said during a press call. “This means all developers can offer both Apple’s payment service side by side with their own payment service. Apple cannot charge fees on the developers’ own payment services, and developers are free to pass along savings to customers by through differentiated pricing.” Tim explained that the decision now forces Apple to actually compete in the market like everyone else. “What this does is it forces Apple to compete with other payment services, rather than blocking them,” he said. “This is what we wanted all along. We’ve always acknowledged Apple’s right to operate their own store; their right to operate their own payment service. We’ve just always wanted a level playing field in which developers can compete with Apple to offer their own products, and then consumers are free to choose the best, and let the best product win.” Beyond payments, the ruling changes how NFTs can be used in iOS apps. Previously, apps weren’t allowed to use NFTs to unlock special features. That tactic was considered a way to dodge Apple’s fees, so the company banned it. Now, with the new court decision, it seems that the restriction is also dead. Developers can use NFTs to give users access to gated content or features without worrying about Apple’s approval. One thing the ruling didn’t fix is the crypto fiat on-ramp problem. People who don’t already own crypto will still need to go through the same old KYC process to buy it. Apple can’t block crypto payments anymore, but that doesn’t mean users can skip identity checks when converting dollars into crypto. That part is still handled outside the App Store, and it’s not going away. Cryptopolitan Academy: Want to grow your money in 2025? Learn how to do it with DeFi in our upcoming webclass. Save Your Spot Source: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/apple-epic-ruling-crypto-payments-nft-ios/
You may also like
Li Feifei's latest long article: When video generation, robots, and NVIDIA all claim to be world models, we need a taxonomy
Language gives machines a way to talk about the world. The world model is the means by which machines ultimately understand, imagine, reason, and interact with it.
Forbes Special Report: Stablecoin cross-border payments are faster now, but not cheaper yet
Cross-border payments using stablecoins are rapidly expanding, bringing speed and accessibility, but due to insufficient institutional liquidity, they have not yet delivered on their promised cost savings. The technology has been validated, and regulations are improving, but the industry has not yet...
Blaming the desolation of the cryptocurrency world on the rise of AI is a form of intellectual laziness
The emergence of giants signifies a mature business model. Although it will reduce speculative space, there is also enough room for error, allowing for the continuous emergence of new forces.
The impact of OUSD on Circle, Tether, and Paxos: not a single negative factor, but a more complex reshaping of competition
OUSD will not be the last new competitor; Circle needs to respond more actively in terms of products, distribution, and ecosystem collaboration.
A valuation of 8 billion dollars, doubling in 8 months! What makes the crypto-friendly bank Erebor Bank stand out?
Erebor is a high-profile experiment taking place at the intersection of banking, cryptocurrency, and industrial policy.
340 billion valuation: Li Yanhong's largest IPO, a seat in Kunlunxin's shares is hard to come by
As a core asset in Baidu's AI landscape, Kunlun Chip is expected to exceed Baidu's market value after going public, becoming an important bargaining chip in its turnaround battle.
Stablecoins are the "royalists" of the crypto world: Open USD brings the old currency system into play
The emergence of Open USD has shifted the competition for stablecoins from the market struggle of crypto startups to a battle for infrastructure involving traditional finance, payment networks, technology platforms, and public chain ecosystems.
Cape Verde 2-3 Argentina: The Underdog Team That Stunned the World in Defeat
Cape Verde's run ended in a 3-2 defeat to Argentina, but their journey — three unbeaten draws, one heroic goalkeeper, and a fight that pushed the defending champions to the brink — is the kind of story markets recognize too: small caps can rattle blue chips long before anyone expects it.
Semiconductor stocks plummet, yet Anthropic wants to create a 2nm chip
Abandoning TSMC and teaming up with Samsung. Anthropic launches a self-developed 2nm chip program, challenging Nvidia and starting a battle to break through computing power costs.
Where is Zhao Changpeng's billion-dollar investment going? YZi Labs' investment landscape fully revealed
Zhao Changpeng's billion-dollar new "family office" YZi Labs investment landscape revealed: 70% of the funds are committed to the crypto ecosystem, while 30% are cross-industry bets on AI and biotechnology, launching a new capital experiment in the post-Binance era.
Ethereum Foundation Report: A Basic Guide to Ethereum for Governments and Financial Institutions
The Ethereum Foundation has released this non-technical introductory report aimed at government officials, central banks, regulators, and corporate decision-makers, explaining how Ethereum works, how it is governed, how it differs from other blockchains, and how institutions and governments are alre...
A pre-announced harvesting case: After the cryptocurrency price dropped by 99%, the public chain Saga exited to transform into AI
True failure often isn't a single price drop, but rather a pricing mechanism that repeatedly rewards those who tell stories while repeatedly punishing those who believe in the stories.
When American giants collectively "defect" from Chinese AI models
Coinbase CEO publicly stated: the company has fully switched its AI to a Chinese model, cutting expenses in half while usage has doubled. Snowflake and Lindy are also doing the same thing—an unnoticed "AI model migration wave" is happening.
BIS Report Compliance Observation: The Real Risks of Stablecoins, Not Just "Depegging"
The issue with stablecoins is not just whether their price will decouple, but whether they can be integrated into a recognizable, monitorable, accountable, and regulated financial system.
Portugal 2-1 Croatia: Ronaldo's 20-Year Knockout-Stage Drought Ends With a Debt Finally Collected
Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the 2026 global football championship's knockout rounds as Ronaldo scored his first-ever knockout-stage goal, Gonçalo Ramos struck a stoppage-time winner, and VAR ruled out a late equalizer for offside.
Bitcoin Price Prediction July 2026: Will BTC Recover to $70K or Drop Below $55K?
Bitcoin price prediction for July 2026: Can BTC recover to $70,000 or fall below $55,000? Explore ETF flows, key support levels, Fed outlook, and our Bitcoin forecast.
A South Korean company that learned the strategy of hoarding coins, from a bull market to delisting?
When the overall momentum of the Korean stock market is strong, this batch of cryptocurrency concept stocks, branded as the "Korean version of Strategy," finds itself at a crossroads of life and death.
WEEX API Broker Program: Turn Your Trading Platform Into a Revenue Engine
Become a WEEX API Broker and earn up to 70% trading fee sharing. Get institutional-grade liquidity, OAuth Fast Connect, and a 4-5 day integration for your AI trading platform, bot, or signal community.
Li Feifei's latest long article: When video generation, robots, and NVIDIA all claim to be world models, we need a taxonomy
Language gives machines a way to talk about the world. The world model is the means by which machines ultimately understand, imagine, reason, and interact with it.
Forbes Special Report: Stablecoin cross-border payments are faster now, but not cheaper yet
Cross-border payments using stablecoins are rapidly expanding, bringing speed and accessibility, but due to insufficient institutional liquidity, they have not yet delivered on their promised cost savings. The technology has been validated, and regulations are improving, but the industry has not yet...
Blaming the desolation of the cryptocurrency world on the rise of AI is a form of intellectual laziness
The emergence of giants signifies a mature business model. Although it will reduce speculative space, there is also enough room for error, allowing for the continuous emergence of new forces.
The impact of OUSD on Circle, Tether, and Paxos: not a single negative factor, but a more complex reshaping of competition
OUSD will not be the last new competitor; Circle needs to respond more actively in terms of products, distribution, and ecosystem collaboration.
A valuation of 8 billion dollars, doubling in 8 months! What makes the crypto-friendly bank Erebor Bank stand out?
Erebor is a high-profile experiment taking place at the intersection of banking, cryptocurrency, and industrial policy.
340 billion valuation: Li Yanhong's largest IPO, a seat in Kunlunxin's shares is hard to come by
As a core asset in Baidu's AI landscape, Kunlun Chip is expected to exceed Baidu's market value after going public, becoming an important bargaining chip in its turnaround battle.
Customer Support:@weikecs
Business Cooperation:@weikecs
Quant Trading & MM:bd@weex.com
VIP Program:support@weex.com





