Ahead of WWDC, Apple says App Store blocked $2B in fraud transactions last year, $9B in past 5 years

Ahead of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple has released figures highlighting its efforts to protect developers and consumers from fraud on the App Store. The company reports preventing over $9 billion in fraudulent transactions in the past five years, with $2 billion blocked in 2024 alone. Additionally, nearly 2 million risky app submissions were prevented from reaching the public.

These figures arrive as Apple faces increasing scrutiny and regulatory pressure regarding its App Store policies. Following Epic Games’ legal victory against Apple concerning antitrust issues, developers in the U.S. now have the option to integrate alternative payment methods within their apps, circumventing Apple’s commission.

While larger companies like Fortnite, Spotify, and Amazon Kindle have adopted alternative payment systems, smaller developers are weighing the risks associated with managing their own payments, including fraud, chargebacks, and refunds—services Apple provides in exchange for a 15%-30% commission on in-app purchases.

Apple’s data underscores the scale of its fraud prevention operations. In 2024, the App Store, available in 175 regions and visited by an average of 813 million users weekly, blocked $2 billion in fraudulent transactions.

Apple also emphasizes that it combats a range of threats, including personal data theft, fraudulent account creation, and app piracy. In 2024, over 146,000 developer accounts were terminated due to fraud concerns, with 139,000 enrollment attempts rejected. The company also blocked over 711 million customer account creations and deactivated nearly 129 million accounts. More than 10,000 illegitimate apps on pirate storefronts, including those containing malware and pirated software, were also blocked.

The Digital Markets Act in the EU allows users to access alternative app stores, which may host apps restricted by Apple’s policies. Apple cautions that these alternative platforms can expose developers to increased risks of piracy and fraud.

Furthermore, Apple blocked approximately 4.6 million attempts to install or launch apps from outside the App Store or approved third-party marketplaces.

Apple has consistently maintained that its App Store commissions are justified by the security, hosting, distribution, discovery, and fraud prevention services it provides.

This argument is particularly compelling for smaller developers, many of whom benefit from the reduced 15% commission under Apple’s Small Business Program. Data from RevenueCat suggests that these businesses are unlikely to see financial gains from switching to their own payment systems.

Apple’s announcement aims to reinforce the benefits of the App Store, especially now that developers have alternative options for reaching and monetizing users.