- Judge mandates Apple to allow external crypto payments, affecting app policies.
- Apple’s App Store changes follow legal dispute with Epic Games.
- Potential for reduced transaction fees boosts crypto industry.
Apple has revised its app guidelines, permitting crypto payments through external sites, following a court order issued by Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on April 30, 2025, in the United States.
The court ruling underscores a shift in technology platform regulations, impacting Apple’s control over app payments and spurring potential growth in cryptocurrency transactions.
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ordered Apple to revise its app policies to enable external payment methods, including cryptocurrency. Initially prompted by a dispute with Epic Games, the ruling emphasizes compliance with the 2021 injunction.
Epic Games contested Apple’s App Store practices, arguing that restrictions on alternative payments were anticompetitive. The court has now removed these limitations, allowing developers to integrate crypto transactions.
Apple’s ecosystem will no longer charge a 30% fee for transactions outside its platform. This shift is expected to enhance cryptocurrency adoption in mobile apps, providing financial benefits to developers and users.
“Apple, despite knowing its obligations thereunder, thwarted the Injunction’s goals, and continued its anticompetitive conduct solely to maintain its revenue stream.” — Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Federal Judge, U.S. District Court source
The ruling is anticipated to influence other major technology companies in handling external payment systems. This decision potentially sets a precedent for the cryptocurrency sector in app stores.
With increased integration of blockchain technology, developers may explore new business models and revenue streams. While regulatory landscapes evolve, these changes pave the way for innovative payment solutions across digital platforms.
