Apple is opening up the iPhone ecosystem in Brazil, agreeing to allow third-party app stores and alternative payment methods as part of a regulatory settlement with the country’s antitrust authority.
Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense, known as CADE, approved a three-year agreement that pauses an investigation into Apple’s App Store practices. In return, Apple has committed to making meaningful changes to how apps are distributed and paid for on iOS in the country.
What’s Changing for iPhone Users in Brazil
Under the agreement (via Tecnoblog), Apple will allow developers to promote alternative ways to pay for apps and digital services outside of Apple’s in-app purchase system. Developers will also be permitted to distribute apps through third-party app stores, rather than being limited exclusively to the App Store.
Apple will additionally decouple its payment processing service from the App Store, meaning developers can offer competing payment systems alongside Apple’s own. External offers and alternative payment options must be shown at the same time as Apple’s in-app purchases.
That said, this is not a free-for-all. Just like in Europe and Japan, Apple will still be allowed to charge fees on transactions, even when payments happen outside of its system.
Why Apple Agreed to the Deal
The agreement is designed to halt an investigation that began in late 2022 after complaints from companies including MercadoLibre. Regulators accused Apple of abusing its control over the App Store by restricting competition and limiting how developers could reach customers.
The case escalated several times. At one point, Apple faced the threat of daily fines exceeding $40,000 if it failed to enable alternative app distribution. A Brazilian federal court later ruled that Apple did not need to enable sideloading immediately, but pressure from CADE never fully went away.
By mid-2025, regulators were again pushing for penalties, calling Apple’s resistance to third-party app stores an infringement of Brazil’s economic order. The newly approved commitment appears to be Apple’s way of putting the issue on ice while avoiding harsher enforcement.
Apple’s Familiar Security Argument Returns
As expected, Apple maintains that loosening App Store rules introduces privacy and security risks for users. The company has used the same reasoning in Europe and Japan, arguing that alternative payments and marketplaces can expose users to fraud, scams, and malware.
Related: AltStore Launches in Japan One Day After Apple Enables Alternative App Marketplaces
Brazil’s agreement mirrors that pattern closely. Apple complies, but on its own terms, preserving oversight mechanisms and continuing to collect fees.
A Slow but Global Shift
Brazil now joins the European Union and Japan in forcing Apple to relax its App Store control. While Apple is clearly reluctant, the direction of travel is becoming hard to ignore.
For developers, this is another step toward more flexibility and leverage. For users, it may eventually mean more choice and potentially lower prices. Whether Apple’s fees and safeguards blunt the impact remains to be seen, but the walls around the App Store continue to come down, one country at a time.
