Thousands of U.S. banks and credit unions can pursue their Apple Pay fee claims together after a federal judge certified their antitrust lawsuit as a class action.

Using Apple Pay at a payment terminal
The financial institutions accuse Apple of blocking competing tap-to-pay wallets on iPhone while charging card issuers fees for transactions. They argue Apple could impose those fees because rival wallets couldn't compete for contactless payments on the iPhone.

Judge Jeffrey White certified the class on September 23 and rejected Apple's attempt to exclude the plaintiffs' damages expert. The ruling doesn't decide whether Apple violated antitrust law or owes the issuers money.

Card issuers pay Apple 0.15% of the value of credit card purchases made through Apple Pay and half a cent for each debit transaction, according to the credit unions' lawsuit. For example, a $100 credit card purchase through Apple Pay costs the card issuer 15 cents in Apple Pay fees.


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