Apple is under investigation by Brazil's antitrust regulator on suspicion of abusing its dominant position

Beijing time on January 19 morning news, it is reported that Brazil's antitrust regulator Cade has begun an investigation into Apple's alleged abuse of dominance.

The agency said in a statement that Cade launched the investigation Jan. 12 after a complaint was filed by Latin American e-commerce and fintech giant MercadoLibre. The complaint is the latest in a series of antitrust cases around the world, including the United States, the European Union, Britain, South Korea, Japan, India and Indonesia.

Apple had no comment.

Apple is headquartered in Cupertino, California. The company typically requires developers to use Apple's own payment system, which helps ensure that Apple receives commissions for apps downloaded from its platform. Such tight controls have led to lawsuits and antitrust scrutiny, often focused on Apple's refusal to let developers direct users to other payment methods.

In December, MercadoLibre filed a lawsuit in Brazil and Mexico, its two largest markets, alleging that Apple violated anticompetitive behavior by banning third-party distribution of digital products on iOS apps that led to price increases.

Brazil's investigation could take up to two and a half years to resolve.