Apple opens up App Store to new competition in Brazil

TechCrunch Desktop Logo TechCrunch Mobile Logo LatestStartupsVentureAppleSecurityAIAppsDisrupt 2026 EventsPodcastsNewsletters SearchSubmit Site Search Toggle Mega Menu Toggle Topics Latest AI Amazon Apps Biotech & Health Climate Cloud Computing Commerce Crypto Enterprise EVs Fintech Fundraising Gadgets Gaming Google Government & Policy Hardware Instagram Layoffs Media & Entertainment Meta Microsoft Privacy Robotics Security Social Space Startups TikTok Transportation Venture More from TechCrunch Staff Events Startup Battlefield StrictlyVC Newsletters Podcasts Videos Partner Content TechCrunch Brand Studio Crunchboard Contact Us In Brief Posted: 8:48 AM PDT · June 18, 2026 Image Credits:TechCrunch Sarah Perez Apple opens up App Store to new competition in Brazil Apple announced on Thursday that developers in Brazil are now allowed to distribute their iOS apps through alternative app stores and process payments for digital goods and services outside the App Store. The changes, which are part of Apple’s agreement with Brazil’s competition regulator Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica, or CADE, loosen Apple’s rules in yet another market, following similar revisions in the EU and Japan. The move marks another crack in Apple’s long-held control over the iOS app ecosystem, which has been forced to open up by regulators and, in some cases, via legal battles.

In the U.S., for example, Apple now permits developers to direct users to external payment options as a result of the court’s decision in the Epic Games lawsuit against the iPhone maker. The updates in Brazil’s market will include the introduction of new protections, including a notarization process for iOS apps distributed outside the App Store, authorization requirements for alternative app marketplaces, and other rules designed to protect children from inappropriate content and scams, Apple said. The company also updated Attachment 12 of its Apple Developer Program License Agreement to specify terms for iOS apps in Brazil, which will use the Core Technology Commission (CTC) fee structure.

This 5% CTC fee had replaced the older Core Technology Fee (CTF) in January as part of Apple’s revised business terms in the EU. It applies to apps distributed from the App Store, via the web, and/or alternative marketplaces. In Brazil, developers will need to agree to the latest update of the license agreement by July 6, 2026, Apple noted.

Topics app store, Apple, Apps, Brazil, developers, Government & Policy, In Brief, regulation October 13 – 15 San Francisco Scale faster. Gain practical expertise. No matter your goal, Disrupt can empower you.Save up to $300 today!

REGISTER NOW Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight. Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.

StrictlyVC Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. { "title": "Newsletters", "description": "Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news", "showBtn": "1", "newsletters": [,,,], "currentUserEmail": "", "urls": } Related Hardware Wacom’s MovinkPad 11 is a fun, midpriced entry point for digital artists Lucas Ropek 2 days ago AI OpenAI says Apple’s own security practices undermine its trade secrets case Sarah Perez 3 days ago Security PSA: Apple’s Private Relay can leak your real IP address Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai 4 days ago Latest in Government & Policy In Brief Trump administration has spent nearly $4B to cancel offshore wind farms Tim De Chant 2 days ago AI Jill Lepore on the ‘Artificial State’ and why Silicon Valley’s leaders are bad sci-fi readers Anthony Ha Theresa Loconsolo 2 days ago Startups Trump’s DOJ gains oversight of OpenAI’s green-card employee sponsorships Julie Bort 4 days ago X LinkedIn Facebook Instagram youTube Mastodon Threads Bluesky TechCrunchStaffContact UsAdvertiseCrunchboard JobsSite Map Terms of ServicePrivacy PolicyRSS Terms of UseCode of Conduct OpenAI vs AppleNous ResearchSpace Data CentersStaya NadellaSpaceX StarshipTech LayoffsChatGPT © 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC.