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FTC Escalates Apple Payment Probe

  //travel-leisure.news-articles.net/content/2026/02/13/ftc-escalates-apple-payment-probe.html
  Published in Travel and Leisure on Friday, February 13th 2026 at 4:44 GMT by Reuters
      Locales: District of Columbia, California, UNITED STATES

Washington D.C. - February 13th, 2026 - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) escalated its investigation into Apple's mobile payment practices today, formally outlining concerns that the tech giant is actively suppressing competition in the rapidly growing mobile wallet market. The agency's statement, released Thursday, builds upon a Justice Department lawsuit filed last month and signals a coordinated regulatory offensive against Apple's perceived monopolistic behavior.

The core of the FTC's argument centers on Apple's control over the Near Field Communication (NFC) chip embedded within iPhones. This chip is the technological backbone of contactless payments, enabling features like Apple Pay. The FTC alleges Apple is leveraging its control over this essential hardware component to effectively block competitors from offering competing mobile wallet solutions, both by directly restricting access to the NFC chip and by preventing alternative wallets from integrating seamlessly within the Apple Wallet application itself.

"For years, Apple has utilized its dominance over the iPhone ecosystem to systematically disadvantage rival mobile wallets," stated FTC Chair Lina M. Khan in the official release. "We are undertaking a thorough investigation to determine whether Apple's actions constitute anti-competitive behavior that ultimately harms consumers through limited choice and potentially inflated prices."

This isn't a new concern. For years, industry analysts have pointed to the closed nature of Apple's system as a barrier to entry for innovative payment solutions. While Apple Pay enjoys considerable consumer adoption, the lack of open access to the NFC chip prevents other players - like Google Wallet, Samsung Pay, PayPal, and emerging fintech startups - from fully realizing their potential. They are forced to rely on less convenient methods like QR codes, or, in some cases, remain sidelined altogether.

The implications extend beyond simple convenience. Competition in the mobile wallet space fosters innovation. Without it, there's a risk of stagnation and limited feature sets. A more competitive landscape could drive down transaction fees, introduce loyalty programs tailored to specific consumer needs, and accelerate the development of biometrically secured payment methods. Currently, Apple's control allows it to dictate the terms of engagement, potentially extracting a larger share of revenue from each transaction.

The FTC's action directly follows the Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit accusing Apple of illegally monopolizing the mobile operating system market. That lawsuit also specifically targets Apple's control over the NFC chip and its detrimental effect on competition. The parallel investigations suggest a unified front against Apple's practices, increasing the pressure on the company to address the concerns.

Apple, unsurprisingly, defends its policies as crucial for safeguarding user security and privacy. The company argues that maintaining strict control over the NFC chip allows it to implement robust security protocols and protect against fraud. However, critics contend that these security arguments are a pretext for maintaining market dominance. They point out that Apple could implement security measures while allowing controlled access to the NFC chip for approved competitors, similar to how open banking initiatives function in the financial sector.

The escalating scrutiny comes at a pivotal moment for the mobile payment industry. Contactless payments have surged in popularity since the pandemic, and mobile wallets are projected to become the dominant form of payment in the coming years. The outcome of these investigations could fundamentally reshape the competitive landscape and determine whether Apple continues to wield disproportionate power over this critical sector. Experts anticipate the FTC may seek remedies including mandating open access to the NFC chip, requiring interoperability between different mobile wallets, or even imposing structural remedies to break up Apple's control over key components of the mobile ecosystem.

The Department of Justice's lawsuit and the FTC's investigation collectively represent a significant challenge to Apple's longstanding business model. Legal battles could drag on for years, but the very fact that both agencies are focusing on the same issues signals a serious intent to curb Apple's power and promote a more competitive mobile payment market. Consumers will be watching closely, as the outcome could dramatically alter how they pay for goods and services in the future.