An Apple Pay fee lawsuit moved forward this week after a U.S. federal judge certified a class of banks and credit unions. The decision, reported on September 25, 2026, lets eligible card issuers pursue common claims over fees tied to Apple Pay transactions. It does not decide whether Apple broke antitrust law.
Who can join the Apple Pay fee lawsuit?
The certified class covers U.S. entities that issued a payment card enabled for Apple Pay and paid Apple a fee on transactions using that card. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White also rejected Apple’s request to exclude expert testimony that the plaintiffs say supports their market-power theory. Those are procedural rulings. The parties still must argue the substance of the case.
The case began in 2022. Plaintiffs allege Apple restricted rival mobile wallets from using the iPhone’s NFC capability, leaving issuers with little practical choice but to pay its fees. The complaint cites a 0.15% charge on credit-card transactions and half a cent on debit-card transactions. These figures are the plaintiffs’ allegations, not a finding by the court.
What changed in the iPhone ecosystem?
Apple has since opened access to NFC contactless transactions for eligible developers in many markets. The change began with iOS 18.1, so the current policy differs from the one described in the original complaint. The court will still examine the claims about past conduct and the effect of those policies on issuers.
This dispute concerns the wallet used to make a payment. It is distinct from Tap to Pay on iPhone for merchants, which lets a business accept contactless payments on an iPhone. Both involve NFC, but they serve opposite sides of a transaction.
What the ruling means for iPhone users
No immediate change at checkout
Class certification does not change how consumers tap an iPhone to pay today. It also does not promise lower card fees or new wallet choices. Any such impact would depend on later court decisions, settlements, and product policies.
The next questions in court
The issuers seek repayment of fees and an order addressing Apple’s conduct. Apple can contest liability, the claimed market definition, and damages. MacRumors reported the certification on September 25, citing the court announcement. For now, the clearest takeaway is that a broader group of card issuers can litigate together; the antitrust claims remain unproven.
