#苹果放宽加密规则 1. Core Content of Relaxed Cryptocurrency Regulations in the United States

According to the latest policy dated May 3, 2025, Apple has adjusted the App Store review rules in the United States, allowing developers to integrate external payment methods and supporting users to purchase NFTs and other digital assets through third-party markets. This adjustment stems from a recent U.S. court ruling on Apple's monopoly case, requiring it to open payment channels. However, cryptocurrency-related applications still need to comply with strict restrictions, including prohibiting token mining, ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings), and task reward tokens. This move is seen as Apple's compromise under compliance pressure while attempting to balance the developer ecosystem with regulatory requirements.

2. Policy Tightening and Data Security Controversy in the United Kingdom

In contrast to the relaxation in the U.S., Apple has taken the opposite approach in the U.K. due to government pressure. In January 2025, the U.K. government, based on the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, demanded that Apple open global iCloud encrypted data access. Apple ultimately chose to stop providing the “Advanced Data Protection” (ADP) feature to new users in the U.K. and required existing users to gradually disable it. ADP was originally designed to protect iCloud backups, photos, and other data through end-to-end encryption. With its cancellation, Apple will be able to cooperate with U.K. law enforcement agencies to access user files. This decision has drawn criticism from privacy experts, who believe that weakening encryption protection will increase the risk of data breaches.

3. Driving Factors of Policy Adjustments

United States: Judicial Pressure and Market Competition

Court rulings on monopolistic behavior have forced Apple to open its payment ecosystem, while the growing demand in the cryptocurrency and NFT markets has also prompted it to adjust its rules to attract more blockchain application developers.

United Kingdom: National Security and Legal Enforcement

The U.K. government has pressured Apple to provide backdoor access under the pretext of combating crime through Technical Capability Notices (TCN). To avoid compromising the global data security architecture, Apple has chosen to make partial concessions.