In an August 14 post on X, Allaire said Circle is getting ready to use Apple’s NFC chip and Secure Element (SE) to enable direct blockchain payments on iPhones. Previously limited to Apple Wallet app and Apple Pay, this shift is intended to allow consumers to conduct point-of-sale purchases using USDC simply touching their iPhones.

Allaire said that this capability would let a point-of-sale system interact directly with an iPhone, therefore defining the blockchain address for USDC payment receipt. Users might then validate the transaction using FaceID, therefore starting a safe blockchain transaction to finish the payment.

Broader Implications for Crypto Payments

Apple’s choice to let developers use its NFC chip is noteworthy not just for USDC but also for other blockchain-based applications such NFTs, other certifications, and other stablecoins including EURC. With low-performance, low-fee blockchain networks especially, Allaire pointed out that this might simplify direct-to–merchant payments.

Apple’s API access is now restricted, however, to developers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States—with no reference to the European Union.

Relatedly, Mastercard and Baanx have teamed with MetaMask, a crypto wallet company, to test a self-custody debit card in the UK and the EU, therefore enabling customers to pay for regular things straight from their crypto wallets. This project is yet another major step toward incorporating cryptocurrencies into regular banking institutions.

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Based on a Bloomberg article from May 11, ChatGPT functionalities are set to be included in Apple’s future software upgrade, iOS 18, should the idea be approved. Allegedly, Apple and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, are in talks about integrating the Gemini chatbot. These talks, though, are supposedly not as far along as the ones with the largest company in the world.

Whether or not these functionalities will be available to consumers as an option to disable in the next OS is still up in the air. There were whispers a year ago that Apple was limiting ChatGPT usage inside the firm for security concerns.

The speculation that Apple is stepping up its attempts to launch its own AI business, however, has been growing in recent months.

Related: Apple in Talks with OpenAI for iPhone AI Features

According to a report by Cointelegraph on April 30, Apple is reportedly bringing in Google alums to bolster its artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities.

In addition to assembling teams of AI professionals, Apple has constructed a “secretive” lab in Zurich, Switzerland, called “Vision Lab,” after acquiring two local AI businesses.In its keynote presentation showcasing the M4 chip in its latest iPad, Apple referred to Octane, a 3D design program powered by the Render Network, during its May 11 event.

A whopping 11% of Render Token’s value surged following the remark. In comparison to Fetch.ai (FET), which has declined 0.77%, and SingularityNET (AGIX), which has declined 0.15%, it has had the greatest gain among the top 10 AI tokens over the previous week, increasing by 18%, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

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