Vipps is the first to support NFC wallet API on iPhone

The EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) antitrust legislation forces Apple to grant developers more permission to use iPhone NFC readers. This change is Implemented in iOS 17.4 earlier this year. Now, Norwegian payment platform “Vipps” has become the first platform to use the new API, allowing users to pay using NFC directly from its iPhone app.

Vipps is the first app to add NFC payments for iPhone users

It is reported Technothe latest update to the Vipps app allows iPhone users to use their cards to make contactless payments in stores – all without leaving the app or relying on Apple Wallet. Users can even choose to replace the Apple Wallet app with Vipps, so that double-clicking the side button opens Vipps instead of Wallet.

Currently, Vipps only supports Bankaxept cards (from the Norwegian national payment system), but the platform says it will add Visa and Mastercard support “within a few months”, allowing users to use Vipps for contactless payments globally.

“We’ve been fighting for years to be able to compete equally with Apple, and it feels almost surreal to finally be able to launch our own solution. Now, it’s going to be a very exciting battle between the world’s biggest brands and Vipps . Rune Galberg saysCEO of Vipps Action Payments.

In August, Apple announced that it would Expand the functionality of third-party applications as NFC wallets to more countries. With iOS 18.1 released in October, the company made the NFC and SE platform API available to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

With this API, developers can create wallet applications that support payments, digital keys, IDs, and even tickets. Apple says the API leverages the iPhone’s Secure Enclave to ensure all data is managed privately.

For more details on NFC and SE Platform API, please visit Apple Developer Website.

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