Apple's Tap-to-Pay is rolling out to more European countries

It almost feels like the EU is on a mission to tear down Apple’s infamous "walled garden" with how much it’s been pushing the company to change. First, Apple had to ditch its Lightning port for USB-C. Then, it had to open up alternatives to the App Store on the iPhone.

Now? The EU citing competition concerns and enforcing its Digital Markets Act (DMA) has forced Apple into opening up its NFC technology to third-party developers—something it had tightly controlled for years.

NFC, or Near Field Communication, is the technology that allows devices to communicate wirelessly over short distances—like when you tap your phone to pay at a store. Apple has historically restricted access to its NFC chip, keeping it exclusive to Apple Pay and blocking third-party apps from accessing it.

But after the EU threatened hefty fines in July last year, Apple had no choice but to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and allow rival payment platforms to use the iPhone NFC. Also, consumers and businesses have more payment options beyond Apple’s ecosystem.

This means Apple’s Tap to Pay feature is now rolling out across even more European countries. Initially, Apple introduced the feature in Austria, Czech Republic, Ireland, Romania, and Sweden. But now, businesses in Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland can also turn their iPhones into payment terminals—no extra hardware needed. All that’s needed is an iPhone Xs or later, running iOS18.1 or later, and a supporting payment app.

This update is a big deal, especially for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Before now, accepting payments required a card reader or dedicated point-of-sale (POS) system, which can be costly and cumbersome.

Now, any merchant with an iPhone can accept payments from contactless credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and other digital wallets using just their device. Even third-party apps like Stripe, SumUp, and Revolut can now process payments through Tap to Pay, giving SMBs more flexibility and reducing barriers to in-person transactions.

This also comes at a time when mobile-based payment solutions are skyrocketing. For Apple’s 57 million EU users, this expansion of Tap to Pay means more payment choices, more flexibility, and fewer barriers. Apple may have been reluctant to open up, but with regulations tightening, this could be just the beginning of a more open iPhone ecosystem.