Apple positions a USD 1,000,000 letter of credit as one option among several for EU app distribution, to be used alongside notary review and without requiring audits, public trading, or venture funding for eligibility.

The new terms take effect on October 1, 2026, and readers are directed to Apple’s developer support page for full criteria.

Eligibility tests include financial stability benchmarks such as Dun & Bradstreet standards, public trading status, venture funding, a financial audit, or distinctive qualifications like government, educational, or nonprofit status, or achieving one million first-year worldwide installs.

Apple has not disclosed specifics about the letter of credit—issuer, term, or triggers—and has not published timelines for credit validity, a public list of qualified operators, or whether notarization review times vary by distribution path.

Notarization review remains mandatory for all alternatively distributed apps, regardless of which eligibility path is chosen.

The letter of credit is emphasized as a core requirement among the seven tests for eligibility.

In the EU, Apple announced on August 18, 2026 that companies can run an alternative app marketplace or distribute apps from their own site by meeting one of seven tests, with October 1, 2026 as the effective date.