Apple has taken a significant step toward integrating cryptocurrency into digital payments, allowing third-party providers access to its NFC and Secure Element (SE) payment chips for the first time. This decision will enable iPhones to make cryptocurrency payments simply by touching them.
Tap-and-Go payments with USDC
Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin, has announced that iPhone owners will soon be able to make crypto payments as easily as with Apple Pay. Thanks to Apple’s opening, it will be possible to pay directly with USDC using iPhones at the point of sale, with payment confirmation via FaceID or other biometric features. Jeremy Allaire, CEO of Circle, pointed out that this opening can pave the way not only for payments with USDC, but also for other applications, such as non-fungible tokens (NFT) and other stablecoins, including EURC
Starting with the USA, Great Britain, Japan and Brazil
Initially, this feature will be available in select countries such as the US, UK, Japan and Brazil. The European Union is not currently included in the rollout, but Apple’s openness could lead to future global expansion. The impact of this innovation goes beyond payments: it could impact sectors such as retail and loyalty programs, creating new opportunities for consumers and businesses.
