According to PANews, Circle's CEO Jeremy Allaire announced plans to introduce instant payments on iPhones following Apple's decision to open its NFC chip to third-party developers. Apple stated on August 14 that it would allow third-party app developers to access its NFC chip and secure element (SE), facilitating the integration of blockchain-based payment functions on Apple devices.
In a subsequent post on X, Allaire explained that prior to Apple's move, the only payment functions utilizing NFC on iPhones were Apple's Wallet app and Apple Pay. Allaire noted, 'This will allow point-of-sale systems to inform the iPhone which blockchain address to accept USDC from or the amount needed. The iPhone's wallet app can then prompt the user to confirm the payment, such as using FaceID, and initiate the transaction via blockchain to settle USDC. Combining this with high-performance, low-fee blockchain networks will create a robust pathway for direct USDC payments to merchants.'
Allaire further elaborated that Apple's decision to open its NFC chip access would extend beyond USDC to include various applications such as NFTs for tickets, other certificates, and stablecoins like EURC. Notably, Apple mentioned that these APIs would be available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, but did not include the European Union and its 27 member countries.
