Apple’s Updated Guidelines Prohibit Use of NFTs to Gate Access to Additional Content, Features

Apple’s new app store policy allows apps to exist within other apps on the apple store but not have permission to unlock any additional features or content through cryptocurrency. The tech giant updated its conditions on its Apple app store review guidelines this Monday with a new set of terms and conditions surrounding NFTs.

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However, the condition referring to paid unlocking of digital goods and services rolled out is that the NFTs purchased with Apple’s app are still valid for token-gated utility provided they pay 30% as Apple Tax.

Apple App Store Review Guidelines

These guidelines attain an important position as it provides all the relevant information to the developers regarding what and what not to publish. It also mentions in a dark stance that any violation of these policies could attract rejection or removal of the app concerned.

Hence the developers or other users in the business of developing or publishing through the Apple store need to work in conformity with the App store guidelines to avoid any traction between the two.

Recently it was rumored that Apple was about to make a move to take its hefty cut of NFT sales. Though the rumored 30% Apple Tax disappointed a few gaming CEOs and other crypto supporters stating that such a move would crush another nascent technology in a position to rival its grotesquely overpriced payment service (in-app).

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Additional Stance

Not only NFTs, but the revised guidelines also touch on other dimensions as well. Apart from NFTs, Apple has also updated a few of the languages around cryptocurrency exchange apps posted on the Apple App store. The guidelines mentioned that the Apps may facilitate approved exchange of transactions or transmissions until the offerings are provided in the countries or regions of the appropriate licensing and permissions of the app concerned regarding the permissions to provide cryptocurrency exchange.

The developers do not have permission to create buttons, any external links, or any CTAs to instruct users how to circumvent the app store towards other platforms to buy NFTs. On the contrary, the App Store has made arrangements for users to make in-app purchases where making payments in cryptocurrency is not an option.

This move may deter the application developers from providing their support for such arrangements (in-app purchase of NFTs). However, NFTs can still be used to unlock token-gated content.

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The Way Ahead

Apple’s updated guidelines are not pursuing any ban on in-app payment services with a 30% Apple Tax on any such purchases. However, in-app use of NFTs widely used in different Web3 applications using blockchain technology for peer-to-peer token-based economies is not affected. The app makers often use NFTs to control the “gate” functionality on the basis of the ownership of the tokens.

For instance, owning or holding a particular NFT or cryptocurrency provided you with special discounts within the store or gives you access to any exclusive merchandise facilitated to certain token holders. Such transactions took place in the “tokengated commerce” launched by Shopify.

It allowed the store owners to give early access to the NFT holders to exclusive limited-edition merchandise and other lucrative experiences. Now, with the updated guidelines, no such function or facility shall be available for the developers within Shopify in the Apple app store as well.

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