Apple has made a notable concession in the cryptocurrency and digital asset field. The American tech giant has updated its App Store policy, allowing iOS applications to insert buttons, links, and call-to-action elements to direct users to Non-Fungible Token trading platforms outside the app.
According to close sources, this policy change only applies at the navigation level, meaning applications are still not allowed to process Non-Fungible Token transactions directly within the app unless through Apple's payment system. This means that paid content, in-game items, or any digital transactions must still comply with Apple's internal payment gateway, where the company charges up to 27% in fees.
The context of this move stems from a recent federal court ruling in the antitrust lawsuit between Apple and Epic Games - the developer of the famous Fortnite game. The court believed that Apple had deliberately violated the ban issued in 2021, which required the company not to obstruct developers from directing users to payment methods outside Apple's system.
This relaxation is viewed by the tech and crypto community as a positive step, opening new opportunities for Web3 applications and crypto-native platforms to operate more flexibly on iOS. Previously, many Non-Fungible Token-related applications were rejected, had limited features, or were blocked from updates simply for integrating links to external digital assets.
Software expert Wojciech Kulikowski from the decentralized platform Farcaster noted: "This could be the beginning of a golden era for crypto applications for the mass consumer."
Apple's gradual policy adjustment under increasing legal pressure may create an important turning point for the blockchain application ecosystem, significantly expanding the ability to reach mainstream users on iOS - one of the world's largest mobile platforms.
