On June 18, Apple announced a set of changes to iOS apps in Brazil. Reflecting an agreement with the country's competition regulator, CADE, the changes give developers new options such as distributing apps through alternative app marketplaces and processing payments outside of Apple[1]. The changes take effect with iOS 26.5, and the commission structure has been substantially revised. At the same time, Apple is introducing safeguards to address newly emerging risks such as malware and fraud. Here is a rundown of what is changing and how.
An Agreement with the Regulator CADE Is the Starting Point
The changes are based on an agreement with Brazil's competition regulator, CADE (Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica)[1]. The agreement was reached in December 2025, resolving a dispute that began in 2022 after MercadoLibre, a major Latin American e-commerce company, filed a complaint over Apple's App Store rules[2]. The changes apply to iOS 26.5 and later, and developers can integrate the new capabilities into their own apps in line with the announcement[1]. The approach is similar to the one introduced in Japan last December, and Apple says it offers stronger privacy and security protections, especially for children, than the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA)[2].
Alternative App Marketplaces Become Available
The biggest change is that distributing apps through alternative app marketplaces outside the App Store is now permitted. Developers can distribute their apps through one or more alternative marketplaces in addition to the App Store[2]. However, so-called sideloading, installing apps directly from the web, is not allowed. Apps distributed outside the App Store must still go through one of the alternative marketplaces[2].
Alternative marketplaces must be authorized by Apple, and apps distributed there are subject to a baseline review called "Notarization." Notarization combines automated checks and human review to confirm that an app is free of known malware and works as advertised[1]. Even so, it is more limited than the App Review applied to every app on the App Store[1]. Apps distributed outside the App Store must also continue to carry age ratings, and they remain subject to parental controls such as Screen Time, download approval, and content restrictions[1]. On iOS 26.5 and later, users can also switch their default app installation source to an alternative marketplace from Settings[2].
New Payment Options as Well
Payment processing also gains more options. Until now, users in Brazil purchased digital goods and services through Apple's In-App Purchase (IAP). Going forward, developers can choose to integrate an alternative payment processor within the app, or place a link that directs users to a payment page on the web[1]. Because alternative payment methods are always presented alongside Apple's IAP, users can clearly tell whether they are paying through Apple[1].
There are caveats, however. Purchases made through alternative payments or external links are not covered by Apple protections such as refunds, subscription management, purchase history, or customer support[1]. In exchange for convenience, the safety net when something goes wrong becomes thinner.
A Full Overhaul of the Commission Structure
The commission structure has been revised according to how apps are distributed and how payments are processed. When an app is distributed through the App Store and uses Apple's IAP, the developer pays a 5 percent payment processing fee plus an App Store commission[1]. The App Store commission is 21 percent by default, but it drops to 10 percent for participants in programs such as the Small Business Program and for subscriptions after their first year[1].
When an app uses an alternative payment processor within the app, the 5 percent processing fee does not apply, but the App Store commission remains[2]. When directing users to an external website, a 15 percent Store Services Commission applies to purchases made within 7 days of tapping the link (10 percent for program participants and the like)[1][2]. Apps distributed through alternative marketplaces owe a 5 percent Core Technology Commission (CTC) on sales of digital goods and services, including paid apps[1]. Apple says that under these new terms, the fees Brazilian developers pay will be the same as or lower than what they pay today[1].
Safeguards Around Children's Safety
Apple has put several safeguards in place, noting that more distribution and payment options could expose children to new threats[1]. Apps in the App Store's "Kids" category cannot include links to websites that process payments. For users under 18, apps on the App Store that use alternative payment processing must include a parental gate requiring a guardian's involvement before a purchase, and they cannot use links to payment websites[1]. Apple is also working on a new API that lets parents monitor and approve purchases made outside of Apple[1].
Apple points out that similar regulatory changes in Europe and Japan have made available types of apps that were previously not offered on iOS (the company cites pornography apps as an example), signaling its wariness toward such risks[1].
Summary
Following its agreement with CADE, iOS in Brazil has opened the door to alternative app marketplaces and external payments, and fees have been finely reset for each combination of distribution and payment. It is a move that follows Europe and Japan, and the trend of the App Store's "closed" system gradually opening country by country, driven by regulation, is clearly visible here as well. Apple emphasizes balancing greater convenience with children's safety, and how far actual usage spreads will be the next thing to watch.
Source:https://www.apple.com/jp/newsroom/2026/06/apple-announces-changes-to-ios-in-brazil/
