Apple wants ‘speculative’ consumer lawsuit over crypto tech dismissed

Apple has asked a U.S. judge to dismiss a consumer lawsuit accusing the iPhone maker of unlawfully barring apps that facilitate cryptocurrency transactions and driving up fees at platforms such as Venmo and Cash App.

The Cupertino, California-based tech company said in a filing on Friday in California federal court that the four Venmo and Cash App users who filed the antitrust lawsuit had not cited any unlawful app rules or business agreements.

The lawsuit, filed in November, said Apple’s restrictions on cryptocurrency technology have harmed competition for peer-to-peer payments and pushed up fees for cash and credit card transactions at PayPal’s Venmo and Block’s Cash App. Apple is the sole defendant in the lawsuit.