Swiss Regulators Open Antitrust Probe Into Apple's NFC Access Rules

The Swiss Competition Commission has launched a preliminary investigation into Apple's handling of the NFC chip in the iPhone and Apple Watch, examining whether the company's rules for third-party access raise antitrust concerns.



The Secretariat of COMCO opened the probe on December 10 to assess whether the terms Apple applies to developers accessing its NFC and Secure Element platform could be anti-competitive. Regulators are focused on whether alternative mobile payment providers can realistically compete with Apple Pay for contactless payments in physical stores.


Although Apple began granting Swiss app developers access to the NFC interface in late 2024, those terms differ from the framework applied in the European Economic Area. In July 2024, the European Commission accepted legally binding commitments from Apple that require free third-party access to NFC technology across the EU. Swiss regulators are now reviewing whether Apple's separate conditions comply with local competition law.

The inquiry adds to mounting regulatory pressure around Apple's control of its ecosystem. The company recently lost a landmark antitrust case in the UK and continues to spar with EU regulators over the Digital Markets Act. At the same time, Apple has been expanding its own payment services, most recently bringing Tap to Pay on iPhone to Hong Kong and Singapore.

The Secretariat says it will continue gathering market feedback and technical information before deciding whether further action is warranted.

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