Apple’s grip on iPhone’s tap-to-pay functionality is loosening. Vipps, a Norwegian mobile payment app, has become the first third-party service to utilize tap-to-pay on iOS, marking a significant milestone in Apple’s more open ecosystem.
Starting on Tuesday, Vipps users in Norway can make tap-to-pay transactions, pay online, and even designate Vipps as their default payment method, according to a report from MacRumors.
This development stems from Apple’s commitments to European Union (EU) regulators. After scrutiny over its exclusive control of the tap-to-pay NFC functionality, Apple agreed to open the feature to third-party developers. The change arrives with iOS 18.1, breaking a ten-year monopoly that confined tap-to-pay capabilities to Apple Pay.
Earlier this year, EU regulators declared Apple Pay’s dominance anti-competitive, prompting Apple to unlock the NFC chip for external developers. This decision is part of broader regulatory pressures, which also include support for the messaging standard RCS and enhanced app deletion flexibility.
The NFC chip’s opening presents intriguing possibilities for iPhone users. On one hand, it could enable more convenient tools, such as diverse payment and ID storage options. On the other, it risks introducing a fragmented ecosystem of competing platforms.
Vipps, operated by a small Scandinavian financial group, represents the first wave of change. While the rollout is initially limited to Norway, it signals a larger shift toward a more diverse and competitive payment ecosystem on iPhones—a shift shaped largely by regulatory oversight from the EU.
