Beginning next year, Apple will permit app sideloading and external payment links for users in Brazil, following an antitrust agreement with local authorities. Here are the specifics.
### Some background
In 2022, Latin American e-commerce leader MercadoLibre lodged a complaint with Brazil’s competition authority, the Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica (CADE), disputing Apple’s iOS App Store regulations, which included limitations on app distribution and the compulsory use of Apple’s in-app payment system.
Since that time, the legal maneuvering has mirrored the pattern observed in other nations where Apple has encountered comparable antitrust examination. Both Apple and MercadoLibre achieved legal victories, which were promptly contested by the opposing party.
In mid-2025, CADE endorsed a provisional measure that would mandate Apple to permit alternative app distribution and third-party payment links in Brazil, contingent upon a compliance period.
Days prior to the implementation of these changes, CADE and Apple entered yet another phase of negotiations, temporarily halting enforcement.
That leads us to today’s announcement.
### Today’s announcement
In a statement released this morning, CADE announced that its board has endorsed Apple’s proposed Term of Commitment to Cease (TCC), a settlement framework utilized by Brazilian antitrust authorities to conclude investigations in return for enforceable remedies.
As part of the settlement, Apple is required to permit alternative app distribution channels in Brazil, enable developers to link to external payment options, and allow third-party payment methods to be available alongside Apple’s in-app purchase system.
Apple must also ensure that any user-facing notifications regarding these options are “structured in a neutral and objective manner, and shall not create control measures that impede the user experience.”
With today’s settlement, Apple now has a maximum of 105 days to execute the agreed modifications, facing potential fines of up to R$150 million ($27.1 million) for noncompliance, in addition to the possibility of reopening the administrative investigation.
In a statement to 9to5Mac, Apple remarked:
> “To align with regulatory requirements from CADE, Apple is making modifications that will influence iOS applications in Brazil. While these changes may introduce new privacy and security challenges for users, we have endeavored to maintain safeguards against certain threats, including preserving critical protections for younger users. These measures will not eliminate all risks, but they will assist in ensuring that iOS continues to be the premier, most secure mobile platform accessible in Brazil and we will persist in advocating for users and developers.”
Apple has not yet disclosed details regarding the new fee structure or the protections it will establish for the Brazilian App Store, though they are expected to align with the frameworks in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. The final terms are anticipated to be revealed in the upcoming weeks, as the 105-day countdown is already underway.
